By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday May 1, 2024

 

Two-time champion Aryna Sabalenka put an end to Mirra Andreeva's hopes for a second consecutive year in Madrid.

Photo Source: Getty

For the second consecutive year, Aryna Sabalenka has spoiled Mirra Andreeva’s party at the Madrid Open.

The two-time champion notched a 6-1, 6-4 triumph over 43rd-ranked Andreeva on Wednesday night in Madrid, booking a spot in the semifinals, where fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina waits.



Andreeva, who turned 17 on Monday and celebrated by becoming the youngest quarterfinalist in Madrid Open history, couldn’t stay with the No.2 seed on Wednesday evening, but don’t fault her for not trying. Andreeva stayed close in the second set, saving a pair of match points to force Sabalenka to serve out the victory in 80 minutes.

It was nearly a repeat scoreline of the pair’s round of 16 match in Madrid from last year, when Andreeva reached the round of 16 on her WTA 1000 debut, but fell 6-3, 6-1 to the eventual champion.

“She's a great player, and for someone her age, she's playing incredible tennis. She's a tough opponent, moving well, serving well. So it was a tough battle,” Sabalenka told reporters. “I mean, it was tough to play against her. I'm just super happy to get through this tough match.”



The win marked Sabalenka’s first straight-set triumph of the tournament in Madrid – she was forced to a decider in her three previous rounds but came out with guns blazing against the highly touted teen and held her ground when things were tough in the second set to close out her 16th career Madrid win against three losses – and her 10th in succession.

“It was a really important win for me,” Sabalenka said. “I kind of dropped my level for a little bit in the past, I don't know, couple of tournaments. So it was really important for me to get this tough win and to feel the confidence again and feel better on court.”

Sabalenka struck 35 winners against 13 unforced errors in an impeccable performance, and improved to 19-5 on the season with her win.

Thursday’s semifinal with Rybakina will mark the pair’s first meeting on clay. Rybakina took the pair’s lone meeting of 2024, in Brisbane, but Sabalenka owns the lifetime edge of 5-3.

“So far she's doing incredible job,” Sabalenka said of Rybakina. “I'm impressed by the consistency she's bringing on court. That's really something amazing. I'm super happy for her.

“When she was winning, she was more aggressive than me, and I was trying to kind of, like, save myself in those moments. So I think the main key for me is just to focusing on myself and to stay aggressive no matter what.”