World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka won the Madrid Open 2023 title with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over World No. 1 Iga Swiatek on Saturday night. Until Saturday, the 25-year-old had lost all of her three previous meetings with the Pole on clay without even winning a set.
It was Sabalenka's 13th career WTA Tour singles title. Image- Tennis Majors
Sabalenka, the 2021 Madrid champion, clocked 2 hours 26 minutes to see off top seed Swiatek and win the Madrid Open 2023 for the second time in the last three years. It was Sabalenka's 13th career WTA Tour singles title. It's always a tough fight against Iga. Both of Sabalenka's Madrid titles came in a clash with the current world no 1. Two years earlier, Sabalenka had defeated Ashleigh Barty to clinch the crown.
Sabalenka won the fourth break point in the first set to take a crucial 5-3 lead. In the second set, Swiatek came from a 3-0 lead to tie it at 3-3. But the top seed won the set at 5-3 on his break points. Sabalenka took a 3–0 lead in the third set, but Swiatek won two games to bring the score to 3–2. Swiatek had nothing to do with Sabalenka's power game.She won the set 6-3 to seal the Madrid Open 2023 title.
"It's something unbelievable. I'm really happy that I'm able to fight against her and I'm able to get this win so it's not like so super boring for people to watch our matches. I really enjoy playing on clay, because I have extra time. It's not super fast, so I can go for my powerful shots. There are longer rallies. It's like not just bomb, bomb." Sabalenka said after winning the Madrid Open 2023.
In the men's final on Sunday home favourite and world number two Carlos Alcaraz is aiming to defend his Madrid Open 2023 title against German lucky loser Jan-Lennard Struff.
From one man unbelievably acquiring 13 French Open titles to the rise of numerous unexpected winners, the event has seen it all. Let us have a trip to memory lane and look at the female French Open winners from the Last 10 years.
The French Open, often known as Roland-Garros, is an annual tennis tournament held at the Stade Roland-Garros in Paris. The French Open is the second Grand Slam of the year. It is the only Grand Slam played on clay court, making it one of the most anticipated tennis events of the year. It is thought to be one of the most arduous grand slams to win, as the best-of-five-sets format on clay makes the battle extremely exhausting, and only the fittest players can emerge as the French Open Winners.
However, during its 131 years of reigning, the French Open has been a witness of several unexpected moments. From one man unbelievably acquiring 13 French Open titles to the rise of numerous unexpected winners, the event has seen it all. Let us have a trip to memory lane and look at the female French Open winners from the Last 10 years.
22-Year-old Garbine Muguruza stunned tennis fans when she upset Serena Williams at the 2016 French Open. As a result, the American's dream to win a 22nd Grand Slam singles title and tie Steffi Graf's Open-era record was dashed.
Nevertheless, Muguruza upset the former world number 1 in straight sets(7–5, 6–4) to win her maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open. Thereafter, Muguruza became the first Spanish woman to win the championship since Arantxa Sánchez Vicario defeated Monica Seles in the final in 1998.
2. French Open 2017 Winner- Jeļena Ostapenko
Jelena Ostapenko won her maiden Grand Slam championship as a professional in the 2017 French Open women's final. She hushed the naysayers and demonstrated that she belongs amongst stars by becoming the first unseeded player to win at Roland Garros.
However, she fought back to win 6-4, 6-3 after losing the first set 4-6 to former No. 3 Simona Halep. Thus, Ostapenko became the youngest first-time Grand Slam champion since Svetlana Kuznetsova won the US Open at the age of 19 in 2004.
3. French Open 2018 Winner- Simona Halep
Halep seemed practically helpless against Sloane Stephens in the opening set of the French Open Women's singles final, trailing 3-6, 0-2 at one point. But in the second set, Halep turned up the heat with a ferocity that helped her capture her maiden Grand Slam title with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory. After losing at the Australian Open, Halep not only quenched her thirst, but she also became the first Romanian to win a Grand Slam since 1978.
4. French Open 2019 Winner- Ashleigh Barty
Ashleigh Barty, a three-time grand slam champion, became the first Australian women's singles player to win the French Open since Margaret Court in 1973. In a one-sided final, she thrashed Marketa Vondrousova, a Czech player, 6-1, 6-3. As a result, the Aussie earned the prestigious trophy and effectively carried her country's expectations on her shoulders.
5. French Open 2020 Winner- Iga Świątek
Iga Swiatek, a 19-year-old tennis sensation, won the 2020 French Open in straight sets, crowning herself as the sport's latest superstar. The result was never in doubt, as the girl appeared to be completely unfazed throughout the game, and she triumphed in just one hour and 24 minutes. Nonetheless, with this victory by her side, Swiatek became the first Pole to win a Grand Slam singles title.
Unseeded Barbora Krejcikova won her first Grand Slam singles title at the French Open 2021, defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia to become the first Czech woman to be awarded the title in 40 years. However, Krejcikova, playing just her fifth main draw in a Slams singles event, triumphed 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 for a second career title. As a result, The champion followed in the footsteps of compatriot Hana Mandlikova, who won the title in 1981 in Paris.
7. French Open 2022 winner- Iga Swiatek
World Number One Iga Swiatek of Poland won the French Open 2022 Women's Singles Title by beating US teenager Coco Gauf. The 21-year-old clinched her second title in three years in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 over Gauff. In addition, she is the youngest player ranked in the top ten. Iga was the 2020 French Open champion and is the first player representing Poland to win a Grand Slam singles title.
Iga Swiatek defeated Karolína Muchová to win the French Open 2023 title. Iga rewrote the history books with her third French Open title. She became only the second women's player to defend the Roland Garros title this century after Justine Henin did it in 2006. The 22-year-old also became the youngest player to win the Claycourt Major in consecutive years since Monica Seles (19) in 1992. She is also the youngest to win four Grand Slams since Serena Williams (20) in 2002.
9. French Open 2024 winner- Iga Swaitek
Iga Swiatek achieved the rare feat of winning a third successive French Open women's title and fourth overall with a comprehensive victory over Italian 12th seed Jasmine Paolini. Poland’s Swiatek continued her recent dominance on the Roland Garros clay with a 6-2 6-1 win against first-time major finalist Paolini.
It was Swiatek's fifth Grand Slam singles title. In open-era women’s tennis, only Evert and Graf (6) have won more Roland Garros titles than her, and she becomes the first woman since Henin in 2007 to triumph thrice in a row in Paris. She also became the only woman apart from Serena Williams to do the Madrid-Rome-Paris triple – winning all three of the most important clay court events on the calendar in the same year.
10. French Open 2025 winner- Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff claimed her first French Open title and second career grand slam singles title, coming from behind to defeat world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 in a thrilling French Open 2025 women’s final.
The 21-year-old’s win, a repeat of her 2023 US Open victory, means she is the first American since Serena Williams in 2015 to triumph at Roland Garros, and only the third this century. She is also the youngest American to lift the Suzanne-Lenglen Cup since Serena Williams did so in 2002.
Sabalenka had won three of the last eight majors and was the most successful singles player on the women's circuit in 2025 prior to Gauff's burst on Saturday. Gauff won 11 of the final 17 games of the match, showcasing some of the best tennis she's played in her career on the biggest stage.
WTA World No. 2 Iga Swiatek has not won any titles since last year's French Open, despite having an overall strong season. Even worse, a Polish news outlet recently reported that Swiatek was considering skipping Wimbledon 2025 to prepare for the US Open in August.
Swiatek strongly refused those reports during her Media Day press conference at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. The five-time Grand Slam champion said, "Shouldn't believe this stuff." She added, “During past few days I saw million comments that were not true.”
'I'm not going to skip Wimbledon'
Swiatek further explained, "I don't get it. There are so many theories right now, I would say, especially in Polish media, about me that are not true. I think, I don't' know, you guys like to make some articles that will attract people. I get it. It's part of the job.
"But yeah, for sure, I'm not going to skip Wimbledon. I really want to learn how to play on grass better. Every year is another opportunity. I will play Wimbledon, for sure, unless I get injured."
'love-and-hate relationship with my perfectionism'
A former junior Wimbledon champion, the 23-year-old has posted her least dominant results on grass in the years since winning her first major title at 2020 Roland Garros. Relatively subpar results on hard courts and clay have been more surprising, leading Swiatek to consider her own perfectionism as a source of this recent late-stage inconsistency.
“I have [a] love-and-hate relationship with my perfectionism. The thing is that I only remember the good stuff from last years because I was winning titles and everything. My head kind of remembers the good stuff.” said Swiatek.
Swiatek is currently the WTA World No. 2 with a record of 26-8 on the season with zero titles. The Polish superstar's campaign at the Italian Open starts on Thursday, May 8. Fans can mark their calendars for the French Open, which will start on May 25, and Wimbledon 2025, which will begin June 30.
The women's tournament has seen a number of talented players win the title. Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, and Naomi Osaka are some of the players who have won the tournament multiple times. The Australian Open winners list are given below.
Meanwhile, Madison Keys of America won her first-ever Grand Slam title by becoming the champion in the women's singles event of the Australian Open 2025.
In the title match, Keys defeated two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.
Keys is the second-oldest woman to claim her first Australian Open singles title in the Open era after China’s Li Na, who was 31 when she triumphed at Melbourne Park in 2014.
Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz head-to-head stats
If Djokovic wins a record-tying 25th major on Sunday, he will become the oldest champion in Wimbledon history. Djokovic, leading Alcaraz 3-2 in the ATP head2head series, will be eager to avenge that defeat.
Novak Djokovic moved one win closer to capturing a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title when he ended 25th seed Lorenzo Musetti's dream in straight sets and sought revenge on defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the final. Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz match will be the rematch of last year's final which the Spaniard won in five sets.
If the 37-year-old Serbian wins a record-tying 25th major on Sunday, he will become the oldest champion in Wimbledon history. Djokovic, leading Alcaraz 3-2 in the ATP head2head series, will be eager to avenge that defeat and equal Roger Federer's record eight Wimbledon crowns.
Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz Match Info
Men's Singles Final: July 14, Sunday
Venue:AELTC Wimbledon Qualifying and Community Sports Ground
Location:London, England
Court Surface:Grass
Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz head-to-head
Year
Event
Round
Winning Player
Losing Player
Score / Result
2022
Madrid Masters
SF
Alcaraz
Djokovic
6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(5)
2023
French Open
SF
Djokovic
Alcaraz
6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1
2023
Wimbledon
Final
Alcaraz
Djokovic
1-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4
2023
Cincinnati Masters
Final
Djokovic
Alcaraz
5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4)
2023
Nitto ATP Finals
SF
Djokovic
Alcaraz
6-3, 6-2
Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz: Form against each other
In the past two years against one another, Djokovic has three wins and Alcaraz has one. In their last match, on November 18, 2023, Djokovic won 6-3, 6-2. Djokovic has clinched nine sets against Alcaraz (64.3%), while Alcaraz has taken five. In 136 total games against one another, Djokovic has taken 77, while Alcaraz has claimed 59. When going head-to-head, Alcaraz and Djokovic have averaged 34 games and 3.5 sets in their four matches against each other.
Djokovic's 2024 performance
Djokovic has captured zero tournament victories on the year, with an overall record of 16-6. In 2024, Djokovic hasn't yet played a match on grass. He is averaging 27.3 games per match (33.2 in best-of-five matches) through his 22 matches played this year across all court surfaces, posting a 57.7% game-winning percentage. Djokovic has put up a service game-winning percentage of 82.1% on all surfaces (247-for-301 in service games) and a return game-winning percentage of 33.1% (99-for-299 in return games).
Alcaraz has won two of his nine tournaments this year, with an overall match record of 32-6. He has a match record of 7-1 on grass courts so far this year. Alcaraz has competed in 38 matches this year (across all court types), and 26.6 games per match (34.4 in best-of-five matches). The World No. 3 has won 35.6% of his return games this year, while also winning 83.5% of his service games.
The Paris Olympics 2024 will be held on clay at the Roland Garros Tennis Stadium over nine days, from 27 July to 4 August. It will be played on 12 competition courts, with six more for training.
The full list of entrants for the Paris Olympics 2024 Tennis Event has been confirmed on Thursday at Wimbledon by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), organizer of the event on behalf of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The Paris Olympics 2024 will be held on clay at the Roland Garros Stadium over nine days, from 27 July to 4 August. It will be played on 12 competition courts, with six more for training. The Philippe-Chatrier stadium, which can seat 15,000, and the Suzanne-Lenglen stadium, which can hold 9,000, will be the main courts and both have retractable roofs.
Lebanon makes its Olympic debut
A total of 41 nations will be represented, with 184 players competing in five events (men's and women's singles, doubles, and mixed doubles). Lebanon will make its debut in the competition. Sixty-four players will compete in both singles events, while 32 teams will contest both doubles events. Entries for the 16-team mixed doubles event will be determined on July 24.
Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray lead the list
The men's and women's singles rosters feature top players such as world No. 1 players Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, and Elena Rybakina. The lists also include other former Olympic champions such as Rafa Nadal, a singles and doubles gold medalist, as well as two-time singles gold medalist Andy Murray and Beijing 2008 doubles gold medalist Stan Wawrinka.
There is a limit of four singles players per gender and country. Nations have also been able to nominate up to two doubles teams per event, with a maximum of six players per gender per country in total.
Under the ITF Ranking System, all players must be in good standing with their national federation and have met the eligibility requirements for the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup. Any player who did not meet this criteria could have had his or her national federation apply for an exemption from the ITF Olympic Committee. The ATP and WTA rankings as of June 10 were used for entry.
For men's and women's doubles, the top 24 teams were selected on a combined singles or doubles ranking, with the top 10 doubles players eligible to enter directly with any partner with a Top 300 ranking. In accordance with IOC player quota regulations, for the remaining eight teams priority was given to teams that included two singles players, followed by teams that included one singles player.
Entries for the mixed doubles event, which will feature 16 teams, will be determined on-site from players already competing in singles or doubles, with a maximum of one team per country. Registration closes at 11:00 local time (09:00 GMT) on Wednesday 24 July and the ITF will announce the entry list shortly afterward.
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