Champion wood. Aryna Sabalenka He survived one of his worst night to impose himself on the Ukrainian KOSTYUK con A sufficient 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7) … Stop for rain and ceiling closure by. It was a spectacular match in which the Belarusa had to suffer to survive a Mutua Madrid Open that is full of surprises this 2025. But she moved on.
It was not an easy start to Sabalenka. World tennis number 1 was very uncomfortable with his serve, and the wind gusts that arrived at the Manolo Santana stadium led him to commit four double faults in his third serve of the first set. He looked at the sky and raised his arms, desperate, but took the caste and took the game against the ovation of the public. Stearns wasted yesterday the first 12 ‘break’ balls … and lost, Kostyuk started with 0/6.
They had to arrive, in fact, four more breakage balls for the Ukrainian until he finally succeeded. He made 4-5 at the time indicated against a Sabalenka who did not find his game … but then woke up. He traced and ended up taking the first set in the ‘Tie-Break.
But The second set was another battle for Sabalenka. It started 0-2 below, returned to 2-2 and Kostyuk got with 5-4 in favor, subtracting to match the game. The rain threatened and the wind did not stop lifting the clay of the track, and with 5-5 the doubts came to the Ukrainian. Two double fouls and breakage of Aryna. Minsk’s took out to stand in the semifinals … but Kostyuk resisted and saved a game ball. And then the drama arrived.
There were ‘tie-break’ and in the middle of it he began to flood. SAvalenka refused to play in the rain and the game stopped almost 20 minutes for the roof of the Manolo Santana stadium to cover the track. The anger of the Ukrainian, which was going 4-5 above in the ‘Tie-Break’, was tremendous. Sabalenka threw experience and integrity to save three set balls and when he had the opportunity, he closed it. It will be in the semifinals, before Svitolina.
