Mutua Madrid Open, Madrid, Spain, 2023 - WTA 1000

[the AntiPusher]

Sakkari serve and mind abandoned her too bad. She PLAYED a decent first set

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Sakkari serve and mind abandoned her too bad. She PLAYED a decent first set

Well she is now 1000001 at SF

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

No 1 Double seeds Coco Gauff/ Jess Pegula are into the Ladies doubles finals, in a close match they defeated the team of Kostyuk/Ruse 75 76(5) they await the winners of the other SF doubles later today Azarenka/Haddad Maia and Fernandez/Townsend

 

[kskate2]

Great angle return from Sakkari bringing up BP
Saba responds with a great serve
Saba holds.She will have no voice left after this match
I wish Tom Hill would shut up, if Sakkari cannot work out tactics on court by herself by now she should not be playing at this level, she forever looks over to him, it is like she is being 'spoon fed'.

If you think she will take another LOA to rest her larynx, think again. She would not miss Rome for anything, even if she had to croak her screams.

 

[kskate2]

Sakkhari has mental block when she reaches the semis of an event.I was so disappointed when she lost in the semis at RG.She kinda freezes for some reason..

LOL. It's way more than just one reason and as MM has already alluded to her coach isn't helping matters

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In the 2nd Ladies doubles SF between V.Azarenka / B.Haddad Maia vs L.Fernandez/T.Townsend
Azarenka/Haddad Maia won the 1st set and in a remarkable turn around in form in the 2nd set Fernandez/Townsend gave a bagel 6-0
Going to a super TB first to ten points.After midnight in Madrid, Azarenka/Haddad Maia played too good in the TB won 10-6

Azarenka/Haddad Maia defeated Fernandez/Townsend 64 06 10-6 and they will play the No 1 seeds Gauff/Pegula in the ladies doubles final!

I know that Fernandez/Townsend have the doubles finals at the end of the year as a goal, even though they lost their SF haved added 390 to their total for 2023, look like they'll will rise to No 6 in the race to the finals

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Ladies Singles Final,
Saturday 6th May, not before 6.30pm local time,

(1) Iga Swiatek vs (2) Aryna Sabalenka

H2H Swiatek 5-2 Swiatek is 3-0 against Sabalenka on clay
Sabalenka wins have been on HCs

Aryna Sabalenka is bidding for a 5th career WTA1000 title in her sixth appearance in a final at this level, her 13th career title overall and her 3rd title in 2023.

Iga Swiatek is bidding to win her 14th career title and 6th on clay, a win in Madrid would give her a complete set of the biggest European clay court titles.

 

[tented]

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Both players have arrived on court, umpire is The Voice!
Hoping for a competitve final, Iga and Saba at present have separating themselves from the rest of the players on tour.Both ladies playing well so far this year.
Saba won the toss and guess what she will serve lol!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Clear tactics from Saba, going hard and flat into Iga's fhand wing, with these faster conditions is the correct tactic if you are going to upset Iga.
I also feel 'the serve' will be important in this game, Saba can DF at crucial times in matches, Iga has a great kick serve, which is soo great on clay, also the return of serve from both players

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

2 BPs for Saba, which have gone, Iga's great footwork, and her defense, again on show, so hard to beat on this surface
3 games all 1st set

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Another 2BPs for Saba can she finally break Iga
Iga cant get a 1st serve in so far
Bhand wide for Saba
1 more BP left
This time no mistakes from Saba great return and will serve for the 1st set 5-3

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Well done Saba 1st set 63 over Iga, just continue to be patient and dont over press on your shots, keep attacking fh wing of Iga, hard and flat.As I said previously these faster conditions suit Saba who has won Madrid before,, she just has to keep her margins intact.
Toilet break for Iga
Saba practicing her serve while waiting for Iga to return to court

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Iga with her 1st BP with a good deep return and she breaks Saba early in the 2nd
Iga consolidates the break to love and leads 3-0

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Great ball striking from Saba, getting the ball past Iga, who has great defense on the clay
Back to 30 all, Saba cannot believe those 2 balls from Iga clipped the back of the line
Saba closed the net with a BH volley has a BP
Great bh into the corner from Iga snuffs out the BP from Saba
Return from Saba brings up another BP
Over press return from Saba? deuce
A 3rd BP for Saba, Iga return wide
Good body serve from Iga, deuce
4th BP from Saba great return down the line
Wow great bhand from Saba and she breaks and we are back on serve in the 2nd set

 

[don_fabio]

Some shot exchanges these 2 are doing is just insane. Rooting for Saba, she has more personality and is more agressive.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Some shot exchanges these 2 are doing is just insane. Rooting for Saba, she has more personality and is more agressive.

Been a really good match up between these 2, I feel this faster court suits Saba more, she just has to keep her margins intact

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

This would be a good belated birthday present for Saba, ( birthday yesterday) if she can win the Madrid title for a second time
BTW this was the first time she was able to win a set off Iga on clay in the 1st set 63

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Saba with 2 BPs, Iga's shots are now flying away, she has to get more control with the altitude
Good defense from Iga saves 1 BP
Well constructed point from Iga with a good cross court fh ...deuce
Iga holds on serve in the 2nd set

 

[kskate2]

Some shot exchanges these 2 are doing is just insane. Rooting for Saba, she has more personality and is more agressive.

I think she will get Iga today, either in 2 sets or three. She has unhinged the Pole