Reuters
Aryna Sabalenka. [Photo Credit: Reuters]
World number one Aryna Sabalenka overcame a second-set fightback by fourth seed Coco Gauff to secure a 6-3 7-6(3) win and clinch her third Madrid Open as the three-times major winner claimed her third title this year on the WTA tour.
Sabalenka, who has played the last three finals of the WTA 1000 tournament, equalled Petra Kvitova’s record haul of three Madrid Open titles. She also caught up with Gauff in head-to-head, with five wins apiece after 10 meetings.
A dominant Sabalenka won four games straight without conceding a point to build a 4-1 lead in the first set. Although former U.S. Open champion Gauff battled back with a break to make it 4-2, the Belarusian secured the set with another break.
Gauff broke Sabalenka to go 2-1 up in the second set and held under pressure to build a 5-3 lead. But Gauff’s double faults while serving for the set allowed Sabalenka to break back and make it 5-5 before winning the title in a tiebreak.
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