Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff are familiar foes, especially when it comes to the latter stages of tournaments.
The pair will meet in an WTA final for just the second time when they face off in for Madrid Open title on Saturday.
It calls to mind their dramatic US Open final in 2023 – the only other time that they have met with the trophy on the line.
Gauff was just 19 when she took on Sabalenka, who had already won a major that year at the Australian Open, and many expected her to claim her second.
When the first set went to Sabalenka 6-2, many would have been forgiven for thinking the match was already a foregone conclusion.
However, what followed was one of the most thrilling comebacks in a major final as Gauff rallied to win the next two sets 6-3, 6-2 as Sabalenka uncharacteristically collapsed and lost all composure in her tennis.
The result left both players emotional, with Sabalenka unwilling to hide hers as she stormed to her bench and began to uncontrollably cry.
When asked in her post-match interview what she’s most proud of from this year, she fought back tears again as she said: “I don’t know.”
That match still haunts the 26-year-old to this day, who admitted that while she has learnt lessons, she still gets flashbacks from it.
“That was very difficult match, I got a little emotional and had this little flashback on last year’s final, meaning the crowd atmosphere,” said after the 2024 US Open final.
For Gauff, the 21-year-old admitted that she was surprised she cried, as it’s something that she and her Dad never do.
“I do never cry but the US Open happened. I wasn’t expecting that, okay? Y’all say what you want, I was not expecting that,” she said on Instagram at the time.
“I don’t think I was crying, to be honest, I think that girl in the video was crying because I don’t like to cry. Not in front of people, I’ll cry alone, I’ll cry over a movie or a TV show but in front of people, no.
Coco Gauff is already a Grand Slam champion at the age of 21Getty Gauff also admitted she was left in tearsGetty“Because I’m supposed to be a thug. Just kidding. I’m like my dad though, for real. Today was the first time I’ve ever seen my dad cry. He doesn’t want me to tell y’all that but he got caught in 4K. He thinks he’s so hard but he’s not.”
Since that US Open final, the pair have met three times – all semifinals – with Gauff winning the most recent clash at the 2024 WTA Finals.
Their overall record is 5-4 in the American’s advantage, but Gauff will know that records mean nothing in finals.
Although what she will take into her clash with Sabalenka is the confidence she got from dismantling Iga Swiatek 6-1, 6-1 in the previous round.
“Obviously Aryna is world No. 1, so it would be cool to play her in the final and give myself that challenge,” Gauff said in her post-match press conference.
Sabalenka has been efficient in Madrid, she’s won in straight sets in all but one of her matches as she plays in her third consecutive final in the Spanish capital.
The Belarusian’s record in Madrid is imperious, winning 22 of her 26 matches on the red dirt with titles coming in 2021 and 2023.
In 2024, she lost to Swiatek in the final, but with the Pole out of the tournament, she will have every bit of belief she can pick up her third title in Spain and third title of the year.
Gauff is playing in her first final of the year – and first since winning the season-ending WTA Finals – a victory would give her a first title on clay since Rome in 2021.
While Sabalenka has been a dominant force all season she has lost three of her five finals this year and has won just 2 of her 19 titles on clay.
We may not see any tears between Gauff and Sabalenka but another classic will write another chapter in their storied rivalry.
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