Big finals don’t get much tighter, or better, than Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka's melee in Madrid

Iga Swiatek’s magical start to the clay-court season continues at the Caja Magica with a 50th career win on her favorite surface, a 6-3, 6-2 score over American Bernarda Pera at the Mutua Madrid Open.

“I wouldn’t say it was easy,” Swiatek clarified on court after the hour and 15 minute match. “Every match is tricky here, so I’m pretty happy that I played a little bit better every day.”

After a rib injury hampered the end of her hard-court campaign and kept her from mounting a Miami Open title defense, Swiatek appears back to her streaking best on clay, defending her Porsche Tennis Grand Prix title in Stuttgart and winning a sixth straight match against an formidable opponent.

“I’m happy that I’m getting my rhythm, but playing against a lefty is never easy. Bernarda really used that, but I’m happy I was really disciplined and focused.”

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When I was here two years ago, it was during COVID, so we were stuck in the hotel, so right now, I’m really enjoying Madrid; it’s really beautiful. Iga Swiatek

Indeed, Pera has given the Pole trouble in the past, pushing her to three sets in their only previous meeting. But that was back in 2019, when a young(er) Iga Swiatek was still batting for spots in tournament main draws. The 21-year-old has rocketed to the top of the WTA rankings in the four years since, and looks to extend her lead over No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka after missing Madrid due to injury in 2022.

“When I was here two years ago, it was during COVID, so we were stuck in the hotel,” she recalled on court. “Right now, I’m really enjoying Madrid; it’s really beautiful.”

Swiatek played beautiful tennis throughout her third round on Sunday, emerging from an early exchange of breaks to take the opening set and race ahead 5-1 in the second. Ending the match with 16 winners to nine unforced errors, the Pole broke Pera four times in the match and improved to 50-7 lifetime on clay when the American netted a backhand return.

“The courts are pretty amazing, the whole facility is great. You feel like it’s new and innovative, and there’s a lot of technology, which is really nice. The fans are really happy and enthusiastic.”

Staying close to the city center in Madrid, Swiatek will give fans plenty to cheer for as they anticipate a round of 16 clash between the top seed and either No. 22 seed Zheng Qinwen or No. 16 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, who reached the semifinals here last year.

Earlier in the day, 2022 Madrid finalist Jessica Pegula staved off a late surge from Marie Bouzkova, defeating the Czech, 6-4, 7-6 (2), while No.12 seed Veronika Kudermetova shook off a second-set hiccup to defeat an in-form Anastasia Potapova, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-3, to book another all-Russian match against No. 8 seed Daria Kasatkina.

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