MADRID: Aryna Sabalenka is glad she changed her mind about playing at the Madrid Open.
Two weeks after nearly withdrawing from the tournament because of a muscle injury, Sabalenka was standing on center court with the winner’s trophy in her hands on Saturday.
Sabalenka defeated top-ranked Ash Barty 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 for her 10th WTA title — and first on clay.
In the men’s final on Sunday, 2018 champion Alexander Zverev will face eighth-seeded Matteo Berrettini.
Sabalenka’s victory, coming two weeks after she was hurt in a loss to Barty in the Stuttgart final, will move the Belarus player to No. 4 in the world next week.
“To be honest, after the final in Stuttgart I was injured, I couldn’t even move, I really wanted to withdraw from here,” she said. “And I don’t know how, but my team ... the recovery was really good. In four days they made me feel much better. Somehow I’m here standing as the champion of this tournament.”
Sabalenka injured an adductor muscle in the three-set loss in Germany to Barty, who had won all of her three previous finals this year.
It was the second title for Sabalenka this year after winning the season-opener in Abu Dhabi. She also lost to Barty in the Miami quarterfinals.
In the men’s semifinals, Zverev followed his triumph over Rafael Nadal with a win over Dominic Thiem to reach another Madrid Open final. He will face No. 10-ranked Berrettini, who beat Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4.
No. 6 Zverev defeated No. 4 Thiem 6-3, 6-4 to reach the final again after beating Thiem for the 2018 title. He will be trying to win his second title this year after triumphing in Acapulco in March.
Zverev broke Thiem’s serve once in the first set and twice in the second on the Magic Box center court.
The German has yet to drop a set, including against Nadal in the Friday quarterfinals.
“They’re probably the two clay-courters that you think of right now when you’re thinking about Roland Garros and the biggest chances of winning,” Zverev said of Nadal and Thiem. “Rafa is the favorite no matter what. Probably Novak (Djokovic) second, Dominic a close third. It’s been so far a good week for me. The job is not done yet.”
Berrettini didn’t face a break point as he defeated Ruud to return to a final after winning Belgrade two weeks ago. He will be trying to win his first Masters 1000 final.
“The key today was putting pressure on his serve,” Berrettini said. “I was always trying to get the momentum and attacking even his first serve. I know that he likes to have time, run around the forehand. I tried to do that. It worked out pretty well.”
Thiem was playing in his first tournament since March after consecutive losses in Dubai and Doha. He has mostly struggled since winning the US Open for his first grand slam title.
“In general I’m super happy with the week,” Thiem said. “I would have never expected to be in the semifinals, to play in the semifinals a player like him. I cannot complain about anything. Just, of course, there are many things to improve.”
In the women’s doubles final, Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova, both from the Czech Republic, defeated Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Demi Schuurs of France 6-4, 6-3.
Sabalenka wins Madrid Open; Zverev faces Berrettini in final
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Sabalenka wins Madrid Open; Zverev faces Berrettini in final
- It was the second title for Sabalenka this year after winning the season-opener in Abu Dhabi
- Zverev defeated Dominic Thiem and No. 10-ranked Berrettini beat Casper Ruud in their semifinal matches
4 former champions prepare for battle at Dubai Tennis Championships 2026
- Past winners Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Ugo Humbert, Stefanos Tsitsipas return this month
DUBAI: From Roger Federer’s record eight titles to Novak Djokovic’s domination — three successive wins from 2009 to 2011 — the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships have long proved an event popular with former champions. And that tradition will continue this month as a quartet of previous men’s winners prepare to compete once more.
From Feb. 23-28, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Ugo Humbert, and Stefanos Tsitsipas will all feature, promising a mix of elite competition, dramatic storylines, and the unmistakable glamour that has made the ATP 500 event a highlight on the men’s calendar.
Coming a week after the city’s WTA 1000 tournament featuring all the world’s top 20 female players, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium in Al-Garhoud will light up once again with a field that includes eight of the world’s top 20 male players.
This year marks the first time since 2023 that Medvedev — ranked No. 12 in the world — is not the tournament’s top seed. He won his only Dubai title in 2023, beating that year’s top seed Djokovic in the semifinal. A former world No. 1, Medvedev is considered one of the most imposing hard-court players of his generation, with strong defensive resilience and surgical precision from the baseline.
Within 18 months of lifting the Silver Dhow Trophy, Medvedev had reached two consecutive semifinals at Wimbledon and the final of the Australian Open. A second Grand Slam title to accompany his 2021 US Open title remains elusive, but this year he has got off to a strong start with victory in Brisbane bringing a 22nd ATP title. The Muscovite’s return to Dubai will be watched by throngs of fans eager to see whether the popular 29-year-old can dominate under the Dubai lights once more.
Among those standing in Medvedev’s way — aside from this month’s top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, world No. 10 Alexander Bublik, and British No. 1 Jack Draper — is his flame-haired compatriot Rublev, a winner in Dubai in 2022. If Medvedev embodies control, Rublev brings chaos, shuttling around the court and overwhelming opponents with raw power and relentless intensity.
The Dubai tournament’s timing early in the season, coupled with its consistent conditions, suits his aggressive baseline style, and as he chases an 18th career title, he will be eager to rediscover the sharpness and conviction that carried him to glory four years ago.
The 2024 tournament, in which Rublev defaulted in the final four, provided a surprise winner as Frenchman Humbert beat Bublik in the final to secure what was only his second ATP 500 title. Humbert was the fifth seed, but few fancied him to come through a tough draw that pitted him against compatriot Gael Monfils, three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray, No. 3 seed Hubert Hurkacz, then-world No. 4 Medvedev, and Bublik. Yet aside from an opening match wobble and a tough battle with Hurkacz in the last eight, he did so without dropping a set.
Left-handed, elegant, and evidently fearless, Humbert’s success resonated with fans who were reminded that Dubai is not only a stage for established stars, but also a launchpad for the next generation. His return this month will be closely followed as he looks to utilize fond memories and the confidence they can bring.
Completing the quartet is Tsitsipas, the reigning champion who finally clinched his long-awaited Dubai crown after years of near misses. Following back-to-back final defeats in 2019 and 2020 to Federer and Djokovic, the Greek produced an assured performance to beat Auger-Aliassime to lift the trophy, his first ATP 500 title, and re-enter the world top 10. The 27-year-old’s stylish all-court game has long captivated audiences, but if he is to defend his title this month, he will be achieving a feat no player has managed since Federer in 2015.
