Evert and Navratilova is the most storied rivalry in women’s tennis history. Swiatek and Sabalenka would need to play another 70 times – that is not a misprint – to match the number of meetings between the two 18-time Grand Slam singles champions.
However, Swiatek and Sabalenka do possess contrasting styles, a key ingredient in the enduring success of the Evert-Navratilova series.
Sabalenka’s serve is one of the most fearsome in the game, as is Swiatek’s return. Swiatek’s own serve is improving, as is Sabalenka’s movement. Sabalenka’s incredible first-strike power is countered by Swiatek’s outstanding defense, especially on clay. Sabalenka neutralizes Swiatek’s venomous topspin with her ability, as a taller player, to handle higher-bouncing balls.
Their opposing strengths are pleasingly complementary, and when you also pair Sabalenka’s fiery intensity with Swiatek’s comparative iciness as a competitor, the result is compelling.
“I need these top players to play more often!”
Sabalenka admitted she wanted to play many more finals against Swiatek.
She also hadn’t forgotten her captivating 2024 Madrid Open semifinal against Elena Rybakina, which like her final against Swiatek was decided in a third-set tiebreak.
“I really hope that we’ll be able to keep the level or increase the level every year… and I’m really happy to be one of these Big Three, you call us,” she smiled.
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“It’s really motivating me a lot to keep working and to keep improving myself just so I stay there, and… get as many wins against them as I can.”
Swiatek, Sabalenka and Rybakina have separated themselves – by some margin – from the rest of the tour in 2024, occupying the top three spots in the Race to the WTA Finals.
The Madrid final was the 25th meeting in this ongoing “trivalry” and in the three most recent matches featuring two of them, all have been three-set battles and each player has tasted both victory and defeat.
| Year | Winner | Loser | Score | Tournament | Round |
| 2024 | Rybakina | Swiatek | 6-3 4-6 6-3 | Stuttgart | S.F. |
| 2024 | Sabalenka | Rybakina | 1-6 7-5 7-6(5) | Madrid | S.F. |
| 2024 | Swiatek | Sabalenka | 7-5 4-6 7-6(7) | Madrid | F |
“Remember the last podcast when I said: ‘I need these top players to play each other more often!’ Because those are the best matches,” Petkovic said to Stubbs.
“It’s not that we are lacking rivalries – it’s just that they weren’t playing each other (enough). And now they are playing each other, and this is what happens! It’s the most incredible tennis.
“It doesn’t mean that people from the rest of the pack cannot beat them, but they have to have a great day, and someone like Sabalenka, Swiatek, Rybakina, they have to have a mediocre day. But if they play each other , they won’t have mediocre days, because they will push each other to play even better than they already can.
“And that’s what happened yesterday (in the Madrid final).”
