WTA Madrid Open 2021 FINAL: Aryna Sabalenka vs Ash Barty-Preview, Head to Head and Prediction


WTA Madrid Open 2021 FINAL: Aryna Sabalenka vs Ash Barty-Preview, Head to Head and Prediction

Aryna Sabalenka and Ash Barty

Aryna Sabalenka will take on Ash Barty in the Final of the Madrid Open 2021. Sabalenka is currently the World no.7 on the WTA rankings and Barty is the World no.1.  

ADVERTISEMENT

Match Details

  • Tournament: WTA Madrid Open 2021
  • Match: Aryna Sabalenka vs Ash Barty
  • Round: Finals
  • Date: 8th May, 2021
  • PrizeMoney:€315, 160(Winner)€188,280(Runner-up)
  • Venue: Madrid, Spain 
  • Surface: Clay Court

Aryna Sabalenka vs Ash Barty: Match Preview

Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka has been in great form on hard courts this season, and she has continued in the same vein in the clay court leg of the season as well. She was a finalist in her first tournament on clay this year, the Stuttgart Open. At Madrid, Sabalenka beat veteran Vera Zvonareva in the first round.

In the second she has got the better of, in form player, Daria Kasatkina 6-3 6-3. In the third round she defeated Jessica Pegula 6-1 6-2. The Quarterfinals saw her overcome an injured Elise Mertens 6-1 4-0. Her Semi-final opponent was Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Pavlyuchenkova was beaten comprehensively by the Belarusian ,who just turned twenty-three a couple of days back, in straight sets 6-2 6-3.

In the Finals, Sabalenka will be up against Ash Barty. Barty came into the Madrid Open having won two of the three tournaments she has participated in since the Australian Open 2021. She won the Miami Open, the Stuttgart Open and reached the Quarterfinals Final Of the Charleston Open in between.

ADVERTISEMENT

At the Madrid Open, she beat Laura Siegemund in the first round, and had a close shave against Tamara Zidanšek in the second round. In the third, she beat the defending French Open Champion Iga Swiatek in straight sets 7-5 6-4. In the Quarter-final she got the better of Petra Kvitova 6-1 3-6 6-3. The Semi-finals saw her overcome Paula Badosa 6-4 6-3. 

Aryna Sabalenka vs Ash Barty: Head-to-Head

Ash Barty
Ash Barty

The two players have faced each other seven times on tour before, with the head to head slightly in five of Barty 4-3. Their last meeting was in the Finals of the Stuttgart Open, which Barty won in three sets 3-6 6-0 6-3. 

Aryna Sabalenka vs Ash Barty: Prediction

Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka

Sabalenka has overwhelmed her opponents with power and accuracy in the tournament so far. Sabalenka has a gun serve and uses it to move her opponents on the court which entices a weak/ short return for the opponent and then Sabalenka steps in to finish the ball. Sabalenka’s forehand is a weapon of mass destruction.

Barty has relied on her calm head and backhand slices to win against bigger, taller, more powerful players, so far. The biggest question is, can Sabalenka keep her patience during rallies and wait for the right time to pull the trigger. The answer to the question will determine who wins the Madrid Open Trophy. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Match Prediction: Aryna Sabalenka will beat Ash Barty in three sets.  

Also Read: Caroline Garcia parts ways with her Father/Coach, joins hands with Urpi at Nadal Academy