Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka edged past Magda Linette 6-4 3-6 6-3 in the second round of the Madrid Mutua Open.
Sabalenka started the match with a break in the third game of the opening set to take a 2-1 lead.
Linette broke to love in the fourth game and consolidated to take a 4-1 lead. The Polish player earned three break points in the sixth game. She did not convert them, but she served out the second set with a hold at 30 forcing the match to the third set.
Sabalenka saved two break points in the first game of the third set and and another chance in the seventh game to stay on serve.
Sabalenka earned her fifth break point in the first game of the third set with a powerful forehand return at 30 and converted it with a net cord winner to take a 5-3 lead. Sabalenka hit an ace to wrap up the match after 2 hours and 9 minutes setting up a third round match against either Katie Boulter or Robin Montgomery.
“It’s not about being confident. It’s about how much you are ready to do to get it. It’s about the hard work and to be ready for the big fights. I feel like confidence is not going to help you in those big matches. It’s about staying there and fighting for it”, said Sabalenka.
World number 4 Elina Rybakina beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-4 6-3. Rybakina earned an early break in the second game of the first set. Bronzetti broke straight back in the third game and held serve at love to draw level to 2-2. Rybakina broke in the 10thgame to take a 6-4. After a trade of breaks in the first two games of the second set Rybakina broke serve in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead. The Kazakh player saved two break points to hold serve after two deuces and served out on her first match point.
Rybakina will face a third round match against Mayar Sherif, who Marta Kostyuk 6-2 7-5.
Rybakina leads the tour with three titles, 27 match wins and 5 titles (Brisbane, Abu Dhabi, Stuttgart)
