Peyton Stearns admits last year’s Indian Wells defeat to Aryna Sabalenka ‘stung’ as she prepares for rematch in Madrid
Peyton Stearns will meet Aryna Sabalenka for the second time in her career following their clash in the 2024 Indian Wells fourth round.
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Aryna Sabalenka, Peyton Stearns (Image via X/US Open Tennis, WTA)
Peyton Stearns is gearing up for a rematch against Aryna Sabalenka to fulfill her wish of taking revenge on the Belarusian. Their fourth-round match was scheduled on Monday (April 28) but was canceled.
It was due to the massive power outage in Spain. Their fourth-round clash was one of the 22 matches canceled on that day as only three matches were completed: Coco Gauff vs. Belinda Bencic, Mirra Andreeva vs.Yuliia Starodubtseva, and Matteo Arnaldi vs. Damir Dzumhur. The rescheduled Sabalenka-Stearns match will be their second encounter on the tour.
In their first clash, Sabalenka fended off four match points to knock the American out of the 2024 Indian Wells. The 23-year-old admitted that the defeat affected her deeply.
I‘ve been waiting for this rematch for over a year now. So, I’m ready, you know. I saw she won this morning and for me, it was just extra motivation to really get that rematch and have another chance. You know those kind of losses they don’t…I don’t think about them too much. But last year Indian Wells…that one stung.
Peyton Stearns told Tennis Channel
Before setting up the clash with the three-time Grand Slam singles champion, Stearns breezed past Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 6-0. The World No.44, winner of one singles title, is searching for her first title of the season in the tournament.
Sabalenka, who came from a set down to eliminate her former doubles partner, Elise Mertens, has already lifted two titles, including her first Sunshine Double trophy at the Miami Open by beating home favorite Jessica Pegula. Sabalenka is the most successful player so far in the season as apart from these two titles, she also reached the Australian Open, Indian Wells, and the Stuttgart Open finals. She lost the Stuttgart Open final to Jelena Ostapenko.
Aryna Sabalenka reveals how she was successful in knocking out Elise Mertens
Aryna Sabalenka is bidding to win her third Madrid Open title, having won the tournament in 2021 and 2023. Last year in the WTA Match of the Year, the World No.1 squandered three championship points against Iga Swiatek who became a Madrid Open champion for the first time in her career.
Sabalenka could set up a clash with the five-time Grand Slam champion, which will be their 13th encounter on the tour. But for that to happen, both Swiatek and Sabalenka will have to reach the final. The Pole has set up a blockbuster quarterfinal clash with Madison Keys after eliminating Diana Shnaider.
In her third-round clash with Elise Mertens, Sabalenka committed 14 unforced errors in the first set before reducing it to five in the following set. But in the third set, she made nine of those errors. Following her hard-fought victory, Sabalenka revealed how she was successful in changing the momentum in her favor.
I was trying to find the rhythm on my serve. The moment I started focusing on the timing, on not rushing the ball, on not overhitting, things really clicked.
Aryna Sabalenka said during her on-court interview
Sabalenka has lifted 19 singles titles in her career so far, only two of which came on clay. These two were the Madrid Open titles. Her performances on clay on clay can’t be judged based on her title tally on the surface, for Sabalenka has progressed to several finals on the red dirt.
Last year on the clay swing, the reigning Australian Open champion reached two finals: in the Madrid Open and the Italian Open, losing both to Swiatek. She hasn’t yet reached the French Open final, reaching the last four in 2023. But last year, she lost to Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals.
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