Aryna Sabalenka and Casper Ruud win Madrid Masters

Aryna Sabalenka (Hameltion, Wikimedia Commons)

The finals of the 2025 Madrid Masters took place this past weekend. This was the first clay court tournament of the year where it was a Masters 1000 series event for ATP and WTA players. Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus was the champion on the women’s side and Casper Ruud of Norway was the champion on the men’s side.

Sabalenka, the first seed, defeated Coco Gauff of the United States, the fourth seed, 6-3, 7-6. A key statistic in the final was double faults. Sabalenka had two and Gauff had eight. The final was a battle of major champions. Sabalenka won the 2023 and 2024 Australian Open, and 2024 United States Open. Gauff won the 2023 United States Open.

Gauff was one of four seeded players Sabalenka defeated in Madrid. She also beat 2018 Australian Open semifinalist Elise Mertens of Belgium, the 28th seed, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 in the third round, Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine, the 24th seed, 7-6, 7-6, in the quarterfinals, and three-time grand slam semifinalist Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, the 17th seed, 6-3, 7-5, in the semifinals. Svitolina reached the semifinals of the 2019 United States Open, and 2019 and 2023 Wimbledon.

This was the ninth WTA 1000 Masters Series title for Sabalenka. She previously won the Wuhan Open in 2018, 2019 and 2024, the 2020 Qatar Open, the Madrid Open in 2021 and 2023, the 2024 Cincinnati Open, and the 2025 Miami Open.

On the men’s side, Ruud, the 14th seed, defeated Jack Draper of Great Britain, the fifth seed, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4. Ruud reached the final of the French Open in 2022 and 2023, and the United States Open in 2022. Draper reached the semifinals of the 2024 United States Open.

In the final, Ruud had the advantage when it came down to aces. He had nine, while Draper had six.

This was the first Masters 1000 series title for Ruud. In Madrid, he beat five seeded opponents. In addition to Draper, Ruud beat Sebastian Korda of the United States, the 23rd seed, 6-3, 6-3 in the third round, Taylor Fritz of the United States, the third seed, and 2024 United States Open finalist, 7-5, 6-4 in the fourth round, Daniil Medvedev of Russia, the ninth seed, and 2021 United States Open champion, 6-3, 7-5 in the quarterfinals, and Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina, the 20th seed, 6-4, 7-5, in the semifinals.