Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka Preview & Prediction | 2024 Madrid Open | Women’s Final
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THE FACTS
What is this tournament classed as in terms of ranking points? WTA 1000
When is Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka on and what time does it start? Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka will take place on Saturday 4th May, 2023 – not before 17:30 (UK)
Where is Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka taking place? Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka will take place at Park Manzanares in Madrid, Spain
What surface is Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka being played on? Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka will take place on an outdoor clay court
Where can I get tickets for Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka? Visit this link for the latest ticket information for Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka
What channel is Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka on in the UK? Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka will be televised live on Sky Sports in the UK
Where can I stream Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka in the UK? Sky Sports subscribers can stream Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka live on Sky Go
THE LOWDOWN
World number one Iga Swiatek takes on number two Aryna Sabalenka for what should be another thrilling edition of a modern-day rivalry. 25-year-old Sabalenka overcame Swiatek in three sets in the final here last season to claim her first victory against the Pole on clay, avenging a defeat in the Stuttgart final the previous week, and she came back from a set down to oust new Stuttgart champion Elena Rybakina, who in turn stunned Swiatek there three weeks ago.
All that is to say that Swiatek has not been as wholly unstoppable on her favoured surface since that remarkable 37-match winning streak in 2022 that saw her pick up six WTA titles, including a second of now three Roland-Garros crowns, but that is more to do with the likes of contemporaries Sabalenka and Rybakina developing their responses to her game over the years.
THE PREDICTION
Swiatek comfortably dispatched Madison Keys on Wednesday, conceding just four games, to improve on her first dropped set of the tournament in a comeback over Beatriz Haddad-Maia on Tuesday. The 22-year-old leads Sabalenka 6-3 overall, claiming their most recent clash in straight sets en-route to the WTA Finals title late last year, and 3-1 on clay to look the reasonable favourite still but high altitude conditions in Madrid thoroughly suit the Belarussian’s mammoth serve – as was proved in her comeback over in-form Rybakina yesterday.
Sabalenka has grown into her title defence with each passing round, building back some confidence recently lost in a drab spell following her brilliant run to a second-successive Australian Open title in January, and if she can start fast here Swiatek is likely to get tight in faster conditions. The suitably cautious move is taking Swiatek to earn at least a set, as she has done in all 10 of their previous encounters, but if a winner has to be picked on this occasion Sabalenka has endured the much tougher draw and come out the other side stronger for it to look the just-about likelier champion.
TIP: IGA SWIATEK TO WIN A SET
