After skipping Stuttgart, Aryna Sabalenka will kick off her European clay-court swing at the Mutua Madrid Open. Unsurprisingly, Madrid has been a happy hunting ground for the world No. 1. Sabalenka has lifted the trophy three times in the last five years (2021, 2023, 2025) and also finished runner-up in 2024, when she lost to Iga Swiatek 9-7 in a third-set tiebreaker.
The Belarusian has a favorable draw at the Caja Magica, where a struggling Jasmine Paolini is the other top-eight seed in the top quarter. Swiatek, who has endured her own struggles in 2026, is a potential semifinal opponent for Sabalenka. Coco Gauff, who was a finalist 12 months ago, is in the other half of the bracket with Stuttgart champion Elena Rybakina.
Given their current form and favorable conditions in Madrid, Sabalenka vs. Rybakina is the expected final. Surprisingly, though, Rybakina has never even reached the final of this tournament. Her best result is a semifinal showing in 2024. The second-ranked Kazakh could meet Madison Keys in the last 16 and Amanda Anisimova in the quarterfinals before possibly facing Gauff in the semis.
Beyond the very top players, teenagers Mirra Andreeva and Victoria Mboko could be ones to watch this fortnight. Andreeva rebounded from Sunshine Double disappointment with a title in Linz and a semifinal run in Stuttgart. Mboko, who has not yet played on clay this year, reached the quarters in both Indian Wells and Miami.
Andreeva is in Swiatek’s quarter and Sabalenka’s half. Mboko finds herself in a section with Gauff and Jessica Pegula.
WWW?
Saba and Ryba the in form faves but surely Swiatek has to start winning on clay again at some point??!!
Yeah just confidence
Late preview since it’s already started. Anisimova is out with a wrist.
Apparently Camila Giorgi is making a come back to tennis in 2027
good for the game
Oh, great news!
Yes, time will tell whether she will actually be a factor, but yes great for the WTA
Whats so great about a comeback by her in particular? I loved her attacking game, but …
not necessarily quality of tennis related
Exactly
Well I did think it was nothing to do with her tennis
For me it’s that I always tended to like the Italian players, especially the women, who tend to be feisty competitors. Partly the nostalgia of having spent significant chunks of my childhood in Italy. Partly the names. Tell me an Italian WTA player’s name in the last 40 years that wouldn’t sound great it a novel!
Camila Giorgi, case in point. Like Sara Errani, Jasmine Paolini, Flavia Penetta, Roberta Vinci, Lucia Bronzetti, Elisabetta Cocciaretto, Diletta Cherubini, etc etc. Tons more beautiful names here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Italian_female_tennis_players
Camila Giorgi was an excellent player and endearing for all the above reasons and partly because her mother continued to make her tennis outfits. It’s a bit less endearing when they pose scantily clad, at least to me.
I was going to ask, where are the men doing swimsuits but then I remembered that Patrick Rafter actually made money modelling underwear in his 30s…
I can’t see Djokovic doing that. Or maybe he already has and I live under a rock etc.
C’mon Osaka, beat Sabalenka already!💥
Swiatek retires down 0_3 in the third. Dunno what’s up but another disappointing clay tournament for her.
I keep thinking she will regain her old form on clay….
Dunno. Others can read her game now
Now we just need Sabalenka to stop screaming like a banshee, but that’s not gonna happen so I will continue avoiding watching her matches. Pet hate is excessive screeching no matter who does it, but Sabalenka isn’t someone I can respect off the tennis court either. Good thing they’re not all like that.