World No 1 Iga Swiatek saved three championship factors to dethrone Aryna Sabalenka in a 7-5 4-6 7-6 (9-7) basic on the Madrid Open on Saturday.
Sabalenka had received the 2023 closing in three units but it surely was Swiatek who triumphed this time to safe her twentieth profession title and deny the Belarusian a 3rd title on the crimson clay of the Spanish capital.
The match was the primary contest of the season between the highest two within the girls’s rankings and it lived as much as expectations, happening because the longest encounter between the 2 Grand Slam champions at three hours and 11 minutes.
“Aryna… to many extra finals… it is all the time a problem taking part in you,” mentioned four-time Grand Slam champion, Swiatek in her on-court interview.
“Thanks for motivating me and forcing me to be a greater participant. I wish to thank my group. I’ve had fairly good speeches earlier than so I do not know what else to say to make it really feel particular. However I feel what you noticed on court docket was fairly particular anyway.
“Thanks for sticking with me via the ups and downs. For understanding and motivating me as a result of with out you I would not be right here. I hope we’re gonna proceed progressing. That is crucial factor on the finish. I wish to thank my household who’s watching.”
Two-time Australian Open champion Sabalenka mentioned: “Congrats Iga on one other nice match. You probably did an unbelievable job. Hopefully subsequent yr it goes to me. Three hours. That is a protracted one! Hopefully we get well quick for the subsequent match.”
Social media response to epic closing
‘Phenomenal tennis’
“The standard they have been in a position to show for over three hours was phenomenal. That was high-quality stuff,” mentioned Anne Keothavong on Sky Sports activities Tennis.
“It was a gutsy efficiency from each gamers.”
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