Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the Cincinnati Open final after a dominant victory over world No. 1 Iga Swiatek. Meanwhile, Jessica Pegula secured her spot in the final after a hard-fought win against Paula Badosa. The final matchup promises an exciting clash between two top players.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek secured a spot in her second consecutive Mutua Madrid Open final on Thursday, defeating Madison Keys 6-1 6-3. Swiatek is one step closer to her third WTA 1000 title of the year and could face Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
Swiatek broke serve early in the match and never relinquished control, despite Keys’ best efforts. The Pole is now tied with Sabalenka for the most WTA main draw matches played without dropping a game on serve in 2024.
Emma Raducanu’s 2023 Madrid Open campaign ended abruptly with a disappointing 6-2, 6-2 defeat to qualifier Maria Lourdes Carle in the first round. Raducanu, who reached the second round last year, struggled to find her rhythm against Carle, who produced an impressive performance in her first WTA 1000 match. The Argentine qualifier capitalized on Raducanu’s unforced errors and a string of break points to secure the convincing victory. Raducanu’s defeat marks a setback in her clay-court season after a promising start that included four consecutive wins and a quarterfinal appearance in Stuttgart. The British No. 1 will look to regroup and prepare for the upcoming French Open, one of the four Grand Slam tournaments on the tennis calendar.
