Sabalenka Stops Collins, Gauff Out At Madrid Masters; Swiatek Leads QFs

Aryna Sabalenka put an end to Danielle Collins ending the American’s 15-match win streak with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win in a noisy affair at the Madrid Masters.

After Collins swept the opener, the Belarussian opened a two-break 3-0 lead in the third before Collins got one break back. Sabalenka’s form was too steady in the end. She improves to 3-0 against Collins.

While Sabalenka is the defending champion and a 2-time winner, the favorite status in Madrid remains Iga Swiatek who ripped Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-1, 6-0. Swiatek has lost just nine games in three matches thus far.

Swiatek will return Tuesday in quarterfinal action against Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia who upset 5th-seeded Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-4. Swiatek leads the lefty 2-1 but two had a tough match at the French last year.

“The biggest thing I remember is it was really tight in the first set,” said Swiatek. “The tiebreak was stressful. I remember the crowd also being crazy, because Brazilian crowd is taking all these instruments with them and making small music festival on the audience. So it was for sure different experience, a good one but tough to handle. It was a really intense match. I wouldn’t expect an easy match against Bia, for sure.”

Coco Gauff had a break lead in the third against Madison Keys but the double faults did her in, as she went down 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4. Gauff finished with 13 double faults. Keys moves on to meet Ons Jabeur who was a winner over Jelena Ostapenko 6-0, 6-4. Jabeur is 2-0 against Keys.

Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva upended the 10th-seeded Daria Kasatkina 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. Mirra Andreeva celebrated her 17th birthday with a win over Jasmine Paolini 7-6(2), 6-4. She’s next for Sabalenka.

“I do feel old, to be honest,” Andreeva said. “I don’t know what scares me, but I just want to stay the same person that I was. But I know that age is not something that I should look at too. I think I will always stay the same person but the time has passed quickly.”

And Elena Rybakina won her 15th straight on clay with a routing teen Sara Bejlek 6-1, 6-3.

You Might Like:
Swiatek Beats Gauff, Sabalenka Stops Collins, Rivalry Resumes In Rome Masters Final
Swiatek Swats Aside Gauff In San Diego, Faces American No. 1 Pegula
Swiatek Dominates Collins, Gauff Rolls, Venus Falls At Cincinnati Masters
Sabalenka, Collins Advance To Rome Masters SF Showdown; Swiatek v Gauff
Swiatek Cruises Past Keys, Will Get Gauff In Rome Masters SF; Sabalenka, Collins v Azarenka QF