World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka insists she is looking only positively on her Madrid Open run despite failing to defend her title at Caja Magica in a heartbreaking way.
On Saturday, Sabalenka was playing her first final since beating Zheng Qinwen in the Australian Open. Playing against top-seeded Swiatek, Sabalenka came inches away from winning their thriller final but ultimately fell just short after the Pole saved three championship points to outlast the Belarusian 7-5 4-6 7-6 (7) in over three hours of play.
In the third set, Sabalenka opened an early 3-1 lead – Swiatek managed to get the break back – but the Belarusian had two match points on the Pole’s serve in the 12th game. After failing to convert any of her two match points in the 12th game of the third set, Sabalenka missed out on another match point in the tie-break before Swiatek realized her second match point.
Moments after the final ended, Sabalenka evidently looked disappointed – but who wouldn’t be after losing a WTA 1000 final in such a way.
Sabalenka asked how she now feels a couple of days after her Madrid final loss
“There is lots of positives from Madrid. I fought back, I found my game. I bring everything…
