Aryna Sabalenka makes telling ‘opportunities’ comment after key turning point in Madrid thriller
Aryna-Sabalenka-Madrid-Open-SF
Aryna Sabalenka believed she “used” her opportunities during a thrilling Madrid Open semi-final victory on Thursday night – while opponent Elena Rybakina spurned her own.
Showcasing why many believe this to be the best rivalry on the WTA Tour, Sabalenka and Rybakina produced a match-of-the-year contender inside the Caja Magica in their last four showdown.
After falling a set and a break down, two-time Madrid champion Sabalenka battled back to seal a dramatic 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(5) triumph, having been just two points from defeat.
World No 4 Rybakina was a break up throughout most of the second set and served for the match at 5-4, though made a crucial mistake which ultimately seemed to swing that match back in her opponent’s favour.
Serving at 30-30, Rybakina seemingly had the world No 2 on the ropes after a strong first serve, though sent a simple forehand into the tramlines – and was then broken.
That felt like a turning point at the time, and Sabalenka – who will face Iga Swiatek in the final for a second straight year – also believe that was a crucial turning point.
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“Probably that was the key moment,” Sabalenka said in press.
“That’s why I’m saying, I don’t know how I was able to come back in this match. Probably she missed her opportunities. I used my opportunities. Yeah, that’s it.
“I was struggling a lot on my serve in the first set, and definitely kind of easy games on my serve gave me a bit more belief that I still got some chances in this match.
“The thing about us is we are both aggressive players. When I was winning, I was focusing on myself and I was staying really aggressive on those key moments. When she was winning, she was more aggressive than me.
“So I think the main key for me is just to focus on myself and to stay aggressive no mater what.”
“It’s just about to go there and be ready for a great battle.”
Defeat for Rybakina snaps her 16-match win streak on clay, and she will now head to the Italian Open – where she is the defending champion.
But she did not have too many regrets in the aftermath of the contest, believing she had made the right choice shot-wise in that 5-4, 30-30 point.
“It was just a regular ball. I think that I chose the correct angle and everything. It’s just I went for too much and it went wide,” said Rybakina in her press conference.
Twice a champion in Madrid, Sabalenka will look to emulate Petra Kvitova and become just the second woman to claim three Madrid Open titles on Saturday.
The Belarusian defeated Swiatek in the final 12 months ago, though trails 3-6 in their overall head-to-head.