Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys have both enjoyed great success this year, with the Belarusian continuing that trend at the Madrid Open.
Sabalenka focused on herself to defeat Coco Gauff in the Madrid Open final, which the former won 6-3, 7-6(7-3).
WTA number one Sabalenka thinks she’ll play many more finals with Gauff, who is yet to win a tournament this season.
Sabalenka in contrast now has three wins to her name in 2025 so far, having also triumphed in Miami and Brisbane.
She has now hit 20 WTA career titles, and continues to top the world rankings ahead of Iga Swiatek in second.
Photo by Maria Gracia Jimenez/Soccrates/Getty ImagesMadison Keys’s year chosen over Aryna Sabalenka’s
But former world number ones Tracy Austin and Jim Courier opted against the Belarusian when discussing which year they would prefer between hers and that of Madison Keys.
“I would take Madi Keys,” Austin said on TC Live, with Courier agreeing: “I would too. They are both fantastic but you take the majors!”
Tracy Austin says how Aryna Sabalenka is starting to ‘stand out’
Keys occupies fifth place in the WTA Tour rankings, and has also started 2025 strongly with two titles secured.
Importantly, one of those titles arrived at the Australian Open, where the American beat Sabalenka in the final.
Keys also emerged victorious in Adelaide, although Austin does believe that Sabalenka is the standout player in the women’s game right now.
“She had that little blip in the middle east where she lost her opening round matches in both Doha and Dubai,” Austin said of Sabalenka. “She said that was the disappointment of not winning the Australian Open for the third time in a row.
“She is really starting to stand out, the ranking points are way higher than everybody else, and that has to give her that confidence.”
Keys meanwhile reached the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open, where she was knocked out by Swiatek despite taking the first set 6-0.