The stats, the shots and the buzz from Madrid

Aryna Sabalenka pulled off the hat trick at the Mutua Madrid Open. The World No. 1 won her third Madrid title on Saturday, continuing her mastery of the event and extending her lead at the top of the PIF WTA Rankings.

Sabalenka kept up her pattern of winning the season’s first WTA 1000 clay-court event in odd-numbered years: she previously hoisted the champion’s trophy in 2021 and 2023.

The top seed is now tied with Petra Kvitova for the most Mutua Madrid Open titles, and it doesn’t sound like she has any plans to stop here.

“This year it was just incredible every time I was out there, I felt all the support,” Sabalenka said on Saturday. “It just gives me an extra energy and power to fight, no matter what.

“To see all of those posters like kids are holding, it’s just like a dream, and it’s so enjoyable playing in front of all of the people, and feel the support, I think that’s the best thing in life.”

Here are some more highlights from a memorable fortnight in the Spanish capital:

Stats corner

• Since WTA 1000 Madrid joined the schedule in 2009, Sabalenka is just the second player to win Miami (the previous WTA 1000 event on the calendar) and Madrid in the same season. The only other instance: Serena Williams did it in 2013.
• Sabalenka has now won 31 tour-level matches this year, leading the field. She is well ahead of second-placed Jessica Pegula (27), who entered Madrid as the tour’s match-win leader.
• Sabalenka saved 40 break points during the Madrid fortnight. She is the first player to save 40 or more break points at a single WTA 1000 event since Maria Sakkari at 2022 Guadalajara (42).
• Coco Gauff made her first clay-court WTA 1000 final in Madrid. She is only the fourth American to reach a WTA 1000 final on clay since the format’s introduction in 2009, joining Serena Williams (2012-2013 Madrid and 2013 Rome), Madison Keys (2016 Rome) and Jessica Pegula (2022 Madrid).
• World No. 56 Moyuka Uchijima had a breakthrough showing at Madrid, reaching the elite eight at the WTA 1000 event. She has made more WTA Tour quarterfinals in the last three weeks (Rouen and Madrid) than in her entire career prior to this run (one, Monastir in 2022).

Social Buzz

As usual, Sabalenka shone on social media as well as on the court:

And she also smiled through a slip of the racquet during her final triumph:

Meanwhile, some of the other players practiced their Spanish place-name pronunciation:

Maybe Ons Jabeur put that practice to use when she joined Demi Schuurs and more players who paid a visit to Real Madrid City:

Honor Roll

Sabalenka wasn’t the only player who excelled over the past two weeks:

Coco Gauff: The American dismissed defending champion Iga Swiatek 6-1, 6-1 to make her first clay-court final since she lost to Swiatek at 2022 Roland Garros. Gauff has a real chance of rising back to her career-high No. 2 ranking over the next few weeks.

Elina Svitolina: The Ukrainian’s clay-court season has been something to behold. She got her winning streak on the surface up to nine straight victories at WTA Tour events (and was 18-0 in sets) before finally seeing her perfect clay swing stopped by Sabalenka in the semifinals.

Marta Kostyuk: She joined her countrywoman Svitolina in the Madrid elite eight and pushed eventual champion Sabalenka to two tiebreak sets in an excellent quarterfinal.

Five things to know about Moyuka Uchijima, Madrid’s latest breakout star

Outgoing: This fortnight’s surprise package, Uchijima got her first two Top 25 wins en route to her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal — including a straight-sets upset of No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula.

Sorana Cirstea and Anna Kalinskaya: Playing doubles together for the first time, they knocked off the No. 1 seeds in the first round and went all the way to the title, toppling Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens in a thrilling final.

Naomi osaka: The four-time Grand Slam champion is back in the winner’s circle for the first time since 2021 after taking the WTA 125 Saint Malo title as a wild card.

Osaka wins Saint Malo 125 title; Galfi extends winning streak at Vic 125

Dalma Galfi: The Hungarian won this weekend’s WTA 125 Vic title, and she is now on a 10-match winning streak. She won the WTA 125 Oeiras title two weeks ago to kick off her run.

Hot Shot

Elisabetta Cocicaretto pulled off an unbelievable pass off of a yuliia startseva smash in the second round:

Next Up

The clay-court spring continues with a second consecutive WTA 1000 fortnight in a resplendent European capital: the 82nd edition of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome, Italy.

Rome: Draws | Scores | Order of play | Everything you need to know

Can Sabalenka continue her momentum by winning her first Rome title? Or will Swiatek, the dominant Rome player of late, capture her fourth title at the Foro Italico? Main-draw play begins Tuesday, May 6.