Aryna Sabalenka defeated Coco Gauff, 6-3 7-6 (7-3) to win her third Madrid Open title.
World number one Sabalenka started strongly in the opening set but let a championship point slip away from her in an indifferent second set as Gauff forced a tie-break.
Sabalenka made a flying start, which included 17 points won in a row, but Gauff’s brave recovery saw her take a 5-3 lead in the second set.
The 21-year-old American then saved six break points to thwart Sabalenka’s comeback after she had made it 5-5.
Sabalenka held on despite being under pressure in her sixth final of 2025 so far, adding the Madrid title to her Brisbane and Miami open wins.
“Congratulations to Coco. I am so happy to see you back playing your best tennis,” Sabalenka said.
“You are such a fighter and I love playing against you.
“With my team, we have been through a lot together so thank you to them.”
Gauff said to Sabalenka: “I think it’s four straight finals for you… Congratulations to you for all the success you are having.”
She added: “This has been a step in the right direction for me. It is one of my favorite cities and tournaments to come to, and hopefully we can go on and win more from here.”