🎾 WTA Madrid: Aryna Sabalenka vs Anna Blinkova

🎾 WTA Madrid: Aryna Sabalenka vs Anna Blinkova

🧠 Form & Context

Aryna Sabalenka
🇧🇾 Despite her occasional clay inconsistency, Sabalenka has made Madrid her domain. She owns two titles here (2021 & 2023) and is an incredible 16–2 at the Caja Mágica since 2021. Her power game flourishes in the thin air, and she enters this year’s event off a strong 25–5 season, highlighted by an Australian Open title and multiple deep runs. Though her Stuttgart final loss to Ostapenko exposed occasional vulnerability, Madrid has historically been her reset button.

Anna Blinkova
🇷🇺 The Russian qualifier has quietly pieced together a three-match win streak in Madrid, including a solid R1 win over Udvardy. Prior to this run, she had failed to win a match here and suffered R1 exits in Charleston and Rouen. Still, she’s shown reliable form throughout 2025 with consistent, if unspectacular, results—like QFs in Linz and Austin and a R3 run in Miami. Against elite players, however, she’s struggled to hold her ground.

🔍 Match Breakdown

Sabalenka’s altitude-adjusted game is one of the most dangerous on tour. Her powerful serve and forehand are nearly unplayable on this court when she’s locked in. Blinkova’s defense and rally tolerance are solid, but unless Sabalenka implodes with errors, she’ll struggle to apply meaningful scoreboard pressure.

The Belarusian will look to attack Blinkova’s second serve and end rallies quickly. Meanwhile, Blinkova will try to absorb pressure, extend points, and frustrate Sabalenka into overhitting—though easier said than done in Madrid conditions that reward pace and aggression.

• Sabalenka’s Madrid record: 16–2 since 2021, including two titles
• Blinkova’s second serve: A likely target for return aggression
• Mental sharpness: Sabalenka will want to shake off the Stuttgart disappointment quickly

🔮 Prediction

Prediction: Sabalenka in straight sets
Unless Sabalenka is unusually error-prone, this matchup heavily favors her. With her Madrid pedigree and superior weapons, she should cruise past Blinkova and continue her dominance at altitude.