🎾 WTA Madrid: Aryna Sabalenka vs Peyton Stearns

🎾 WTA Madrid: Aryna Sabalenka vs Peyton Stearns – Match Preview

🧠 Form & Context

🇧🇾 Aryna Sabalenka

• Madrid Magic: Continued her win-or-bust trend at Caja Mágica, rallying past Elise Mertens to move closer to a third title.
• Form Streak: Reached 12 finals since the start of 2024, maintaining World No. 1 status with an aggressive clay game intact.
• Madrid History: Champion in 2021 and 2023, runner-up in 2024; never lost outside the first round or final here.
• Clay Comfort: Finished 2024’s clay swing with a 15–4 record, thriving on Madrid’s quicker clay.

🇺🇸 Peyton Stearns

• Revival Act: First three-match win streak since Toronto 2024, defeating Birrell, Anisimova, and Masarova.
• Clay Evolution: Rabat champion (2024) with strong Paris performances; heavy topspin game suited for clay.
• Form Turnaround: Came into Madrid with a 1–9 record across her last 10 tournaments but found new momentum this week.
• Opportunity: Looking to reach her first-ever WTA 1000 quarterfinal.

🔍 Match Breakdown

Sabalenka’s huge serve and first-strike dominance thrive in Madrid’s quick conditions. Her ability to recover after slow starts, as seen against Mertens, remains a major weapon.

Peyton Stearns' heavy topspin and baseline aggression can trouble Sabalenka, especially if she targets the backhand side and extends rallies. Their Indian Wells clash in 2023, where Sabalenka needed to save match points, proves that Stearns has the tools to challenge her.

However, Stearns must maintain her first-serve percentage and minimize flat spells. Otherwise, Sabalenka’s intensity and relentless pressure could quickly shift the momentum in the Belarusian's favor.

🔮 Prediction

✔️ Prediction: Aryna Sabalenka in 3 sets

Stearns should push Sabalenka hard again, but the World No. 1’s Madrid pedigree and ability to raise her level at key moments should see her through.

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