2021 WTA Madrid Open - WTA 1000

Who will win Madrid?


  • Total voters
    15
  • Poll closed .

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
And that's why she's number 1.

Barty saves 3 break points and a terrible crowd cheering her errors. She holds serve for 4-1.

So good seeing the Spanish crowd put in their place. Didn't even applaud Barty's amazing dropshot to hold serve.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Ash Barty gets her Charleston revenge over Badosa.

She beats the Spaniard 6-4 6-3 and is into the Madrid final.

She'll face the winner of Sabalenka/Pavlyuchenkova.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
With that win, Ash Barty now has 10,090 points.

She is the first #1 player since Serena back in 2015 to have over 10,000 points.

Vika did it back in 2013, Wozniacki did it for 2 weeks in 2011.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Yes agree, but she's down to a non-slam threat in a good form before (Riske Wimbledon, Wang US Open, Kenin (She is not the favorite at that time), and Muchova). But a lot happened since then so let's see. She's so consistent now!
Conveniently left the SF loss at the 2020 AO to eventual champ Kenin at the AO out of it. But yes, she's more likely to lose to the lower ranked unknown players which isn't great but look at her form. She just got revenge on Badosa who beat her last month. Who can you feasibly see beating her at RG? I'm just trying to sort out a path at the moment and nobody is striking out. She might not win but who's the other favourite right now? The players who bombed out in Madrid? Players we haven't seen in months? Who?
 

Brian11785

Hall of Fame
W,OWw I was just told Barty lost to this nobody Bardosa or whatever last time they played on green clay............... LOL... Did Barty just tank it ?

She'd just won Miami and was probably a little burnt out. I don't think she tanked the match, but I don't think her normal fight was there. First time I'd seen her visibly annoyed in a match (complaining about the bounces and such.) Credit to Badosa who played solid on all the big points....usually Ash's strength.

I saw the match as what happens when a mentally tough player has a lapse in that department.
 
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Deleted member 771911

Guest
Does Pavs have a chance versus Sabalenka? Thinking of tuning in but not if Pavs is going to be owned.
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
Does Pavs have a chance versus Sabalenka? Thinking of tuning in but not if Pavs is going to be owned.
I mean Pavs has made the QFs of all slams, she seems to have a real stubborn ceiling but she's being consistent and getting some good wins for the first time in a good while. I think Sabalenka is going to have to really drop her level of play. Frankly, I'd like to see Sabalenka have another crack at Barty after their Stuttgart meeting. It would be really exciting to see 2 top players meet in the final of a tournament for the 2nd time in a row. Barty has really found her form and has cemented her #1 status, especially as a player who can win big on all surfaces. Osaka's one of my favourites but the only debate in Osaka vs Barty could be who is better on hard, but Osaka's results there cannot be ignored. I'd like to see more of Barty vs Osaka, especially on hard court. It doesn't seem likely we will see them play on clay or grass as they'd need to meet in the final and at this stage it is difficult to see Osaka in any finals until the US hard court swing comes around.
 
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Deleted member 771911

Guest
I mean Pavs has made the QFs of all slams, she seems to have a real stubborn ceiling but she's being consistent and getting some good wins for the first time in a good while. I think Sabalenka is going to have to really drop her level of play. Frankly, I'd like to see Sabalenka have another crack at Barty after their Stuttgart meeting. It would be really exciting to see 2 top players meet in the final of a tournament for the 2nd time in a row. Barty has really found her form and has cemented her #1 status, especially as a player who can win big on all surfaces. Osaka's one of my favourites but the only debate in Osaka vs Barty could be who is better on hard, but Osaka's results there cannot be ignored. I'd like to see more of Barty vs Osaka, especially on hard court. It doesn't seem likely we will see them play on clay or grass as they'd need to meet in the final and at this stage it is difficult to see Osaka in any finals until the US hard court swing comes around.

I might tune in to see what Pavs can bring. I'm reading Sabalenka is wiping the floor with all her opponents.
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
She'd just won Miami and was probably a little burnt out. I don't think she tanked the match, but I don't think her normal fight was there. First time I'd seen her visibly annoyed in a match (complaining about the bounces and such.) Credit to Badosa who played solid on all the big points....usually Ash's strength.

I saw the match as what happens when a mentally tough player has a lapse in that department.
Exactly, even a 10% drop in play at that level could see the result which we saw in Charleston. I'd like Badosa to keep this level up, it'd be exciting for her to be a floater in the RG draw for some of the seeded players - pick a few of them off round by round, unless it's someone like Barty or Sabalenka she gets early on, everyone will want to see her well away from them in the first couple of rounds.

Damn though, I'm so impressed with Barty's results. I don't wish for her to dominate the whole season but a consistent #1 who has a slam would be pretty nice to see, especially with her level on all surfaces. I would love to see her play the likes of Halep, Swiatek, Muguruza and Osaka in particular a fair few times this season, and I'd like to see her play Serena at RG and Wimbledon. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see #24 but I'd also like to see Serena have Barty as #1 step into her path. Praying Muguruza and Halep in particular enter RG with some form - that would really make things exciting with it looking right now that it's going to be Barty, Sabalenka and probably Swiatek as the top 3 favourites.
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
I might tune in to see what Pavs can bring. I'm reading Sabalenka is wiping the floor with all her opponents.
Yeah, she's previously won Wuhan B2B and won Qatar once but that's it as far as big titles (she did win Elite Trophy too), so she's had hot runs before but this is the first time I recall seeing it on clay and she's got the game to win big on clay, cause if you're in the zone as she's been she's really able to power through the court. It would take someone as crafty as Barty, or someone playing the same style as herself but bringing even more fire, to stop her.
 
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Deleted member 771911

Guest
Yeah, she's previously won Wuhan B2B and won Qatar once but that's it as far as big titles (she did win Elite Trophy too), so she's had hot runs before but this is the first time I recall seeing it on clay and she's got the game to win big on clay, cause if you're in the zone as she's been she's really able to power through the court. It would take someone as crafty as Barty, or someone playing the same style as herself but bringing even more fire, to stop her.
Pavs could be awkward for her. Never know what Pavs will turn up, though.
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
Conveniently left the SF loss at the 2020 AO to eventual champ Kenin at the AO out of it. But yes, she's more likely to lose to the lower ranked unknown players which isn't great but look at her form. She just got revenge on Badosa who beat her last month. Who can you feasibly see beating her at RG? I'm just trying to sort out a path at the moment and nobody is striking out. She might not win but who's the other favourite right now? The players who bombed out in Madrid? Players we haven't seen in months? Who?
Of the top players, honestly, I'm only seeing Swiatek learning fast from that dual of theirs earlier this week, Sabalenka raging even hotter than at any point this swing, or Muguruza playing top level providing the niggle that made her withdraw from Madrid is nipped in the bud pronto. As you said, lower ranked played playing well seem to be the real risk, the ones who will go out there for a match or a few matches and play with no expectations, and hit freely. Those are such a danger in women's tennis, as we have seen over the years. How high would you put Badosa in line for RG? She's not ranked super high and she clearly has clay game. Even with this SF run I wouldn't say I'd expect her to get past R3 or R4 at RG but maybe that's a good thing for her as she won't have such expectations on her shoulder. These matches in Madrid on a decent sized court have probably been good for her, especially carrying home expectations.
 
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Deleted member 771911

Guest
I hope you're right, as long as she can do the same in the final. Otherwise, I'd like to see a hungry Sabalenka take it to Barty in the F.

I was all ready to become a Sabalenka fan back in what, 2018, Eastbourne final time, but then she never delivered in slams, and good or bad, slams are where it's at for me.
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
Sabalenka demolishing Pavlyuchenkova. Presuming Sabalenka finishes this set off (she's up 5-0), then we're getting Barty v Sabalenka for the 2nd event in a row, and Stuttgart was indoor which many pundits elude to it playing differently, so these 2 are in some form!
 

Kralingen

Talk Tennis Guru
Barty Saba is going to be extremely high level tennis tomorrow. Really excited. I’m taking the over in games - I see it going 3…
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Barty v Sabalenka is turning into quite the rivalry.

They’ve met 7 times. This will be their 3rd meeting in just 5 weeks. Barty beat Sabalenka in the SF of Miami as well as the final of Stuttgart 2 weeks ago. Both were 3 setters. Sabalenka’s last win over Barty was the Wuhan SF in 2019.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Also, Sabalenka is up to #5 in the race rankings. With the title she’ll be #4.

Quite some discussion that she might be the first female player to make the top 5 without a slam QF to her name.
 

TagUrIt

Hall of Fame
It's hard to go against Ash, but I really rooting for the Warrior Princess on this one. Either way it's going to be a great final!
 

Gizo

Hall of Fame
Barty has certainly been pretty consistent this year:

Yarra Valley - Winner
Australian Open - Quarter-Finalist
Adelaide - 1st Round
Miami - Winner
Charleston - Quarter-Finalist
Stuttgart - Winner
Madrid - Either Winner or Finalist

Her serving has looked very impressive recently, especially during big points, and of course she has nice variety from the baseline.

I'm looking forward to this final.
 

spystud

Talk Tennis Guru
Was about to post that it’s weird they’re playing so early, but we still have a whole ‘nother day.
 
Time for another 1000 tournament. This time we get Madrid, a tournament that wasn't held in 2020.

Stacked field for this one.
7 of the top 10, 17 of the top 20.

Kiki Bertens is the defending champ having won the title in 2019. She beat Simona Halep for the title.

It's the first time we see Osaka on clay since the French Open in 2019 and the second time we see Barty on clay since winning RG 2019 (Barty played and won Stuttgart a few days ago).

12 slam champions in the draw.

Seeds are in order:
Barty, Osaka, Halep, Svitolina, Sabalena, Pliskova, Bertens,Bencic, Kvitova, Muguruza, Brady, Azarenka, Mertens, Swiatek, Konta and Sakkari.

Wildcards went to:
Badosa, Cirstea, Jimenez Kasintseva(??), Sorribes Tormo and Venus Williams.

Withdrawals: Kenin, Andreescu, Serena, Collins and a few others.

A good performance from Barty could secure herself the #1 ranking even if she bombs out while defending RG.

Some seriously popcorn R1 matches:
Barty v Rogers
Swiatek v Riske
Kerber v Vondrousova
Muguruza v Stephens
Pliskova v Gauff
Pavlycuhenkova v Keys
Kuznetsova v Ostapenko
Brady v Williams
Sakkari v Anisimova

2 1R matchups of slam champions (Garbie v Sloane and Kuzy v Ostapenko) and also got 2 1R matchups of slam champions v slam runner ups (Kerber v Vondrousova and Brady v Venus).

OOP: https://www.wtatennis.com/tournament/1038/madrid/2021/order-of-play
Draw: https://www.wtatennis.com/tournament/1038/madrid/2021/draws
Heart says Gauff but head say Barty.
Wbu AD???
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
Will Bertens be top form for RG? I forgot that she's back after injury and there is still a fair bit of time before RG commences - will be interesting to see her form come RG as she's won big on clay previously!
 
Will Bertens be top form for RG? I forgot that she's back after injury and there is still a fair bit of time before RG commences - will be interesting to see her form come RG as she's won big on clay previously!

Very doubtful. She really miss her chance to go deep on '19.
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
Sloane Stephens playing qualies in Rome! I feel like the pandemic has prolonged her direct entry into events. Hopefully this will spur her on and allow her to get some match wins in too, and some consistent Ws even if it's on qualification events at tournaments this size. I 100% believe she still has that top gear which brought her success but something/multiple things, even simple things like discontent and maybe homesickness have been getting in the way (not saying I know the exact issues - think these could be some of them).
 

volleyandfun

Hall of Fame
Will Bertens be top form for RG? I forgot that she's back after injury and there is still a fair bit of time before RG commences - will be interesting to see her form come RG as she's won big on clay previously!
She is not in Rome... ??
 

FakeEmpire

Professional
Well, this is escalating quickly against Barty in windy conditions, where Sabalenka should be more error prone. Who would've thought?
 
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