Sabalenka Stops Barty Party For Madrid Masters Trophy, First Clay Title
Aryna Sabalenka did something Saturday no one has done in nearly two years: Beat Ash Barty on red clay. The big-hitting Belarussian authored a surprising finish in the Madrid Masters upsetting World No. 1 Barty 6-0, 3-6, 6-4.
Barty entered the match having won her last 16 matches on red clay and 10 straight overall against Top 10s. But all week Sabalenka has been the best player. En route to the final, Sabelenka never gave up more than three games in any set she played, and early on the trend continued.
Sabalenka broke Barty immediately then continued the pressure in an opening set whitewash. In the second, Sabelenka’s level slipped as errors started flying while Barty, who’s been so good from a set down, dug in to force the decider.
In the third, Barty kept the momentum and then had multiple chances to close the door and go up 3-1 with a double break. But Sabalenka found a way back and recover to win her 10th career title.
“I’m really happy with this win. It was crazy match there. I’m really happy that I could win this one. Yeah, it feels amazing right now,” Sabalenka said.
“I think I was really lucky that I won that game on 1-2, 15-40 actually,” Sabalenka said of the third set. “I’m really happy that I won it. I don’t know. You never know.”
Sabalenka had lost to Barty twice last month in Miami and in the Stuttgart final. Today she put together 34 winners, 9 aces and won the last 11 points of the match.
“I wouldn’t compare match in Miami and here to Stuttgart,” Sabalenka said. “Stuttgart I was injured. Yeah, it’s tough to say anything about that match. She was just unbelievable. I gave her opportunity there, and she took it.
“In Miami, it was really slow courts, long rallies. It was really hot. There physically I would say it was much harder to play against her than here.
“I think what I did really well here, I stay focused from the beginning till the end. I was putting her under the pressure, especially in the end of the third set. Like in those key moments I was a little bit more aggressive. That’s what really helped me to win this match.”
The title was also Sabalenka’s first on the clay.
“Of course I feel a little bit more confidence on the clay court,” Sabalenka said. “I kind of understand that I can play well here. But as I was saying, it’s tennis, you never know what’s going to happen. You just have to be really focused and be ready for everything. Against everyone, you just have to be there 100% on, every time show your level.”
Barty knew those two missed break points cost her.
“It’s tough to take too many good things out of it. You just reset and start again. That was important for me to try to do. I think I just needed to try a few different things. I shifted my court position around more than anything to try to give her a little bit of a different look, try to break some rhythm, some momentum. I was able to do that.
“There wasn’t much in it. I think I had two or three breakpoints in that third set. She had the same. She grabbed her opportunity, I didn’t grab mine. It’s a pretty fine line.”
Sabalenka will move to a new high ranking of No. 4. These two could meet in the Rome Masters quarters.
SABALENKA-BARTY HIGHLIGHTS
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