Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka have rarely faced each other on the tennis court despite their high rankings over the years. Before Monday, they had only played twice, with each winning once.
Their third meeting came at the Mutua Madrid Open, where Sabalenka emerged victorious in a three-set battle. The win gave her a narrow 2-1 lead in their head-to-head record and extended her winning streak to 15 matches.
Osaka started strong, winning the first set 7-6 in a tiebreak. However, Sabalenka rallied to take the second set 6-3. The final set was competitive early, but Sabalenka took control after the fifth game, winning the set 6-2 and the match.
With this victory, Sabalenka advances to the quarterfinals, where she will face Hailey Baptiste. Their rivalry has been limited due to off-court factors, including Osaka's time away for the birth of her daughter. With both players now active and playing well, more matches between them are expected.