The 3 women to achieve the Madrid-Italian Open double as Aryna Sabalenka bids to join Iga Swiatek
Aryna Sabalenka is aiming to become the fourth woman to win both the Madrid Open and the Italian Open in the same season.
The back-to-back tournaments in Madrid and Rome are the only two clay-court 1000 events on the WTA calendar.
Sabalenka defeated Coco Gauff in the final of the Madrid Open last week to win her third title in the Spanish capital.
It has been possible for women to win the Madrid-Rome double since 2009 as that was the year the inaugural edition of the WTA Madrid Open was held.
Here, we look at the three WTA players who have achieved the Madrid-Italian Open double.
Dinara Safina – 2009
In 2009, Dinara Safina made history by securing both of the WTA 1000 clay tournaments to accomplish the feat at the first opportunity.
The Russian first triumphed at the Italian Open, which was held before Madrid at the time.
Safina defeated Virginie Razzano, Zheng Jie, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, Venus Williams and Svetlana Kuznetsova during her run in Rome.
The then world No 1 won the first-ever WTA edition of the Madrid Open with victories over Li Na, Lucie Safarova, Alona Bondarenko, Patty Schnyder and Caroline Wozniacki.
Serena Williams – 2013
In 2013, Serena Williams successfully defended her Madrid Open crown to secure her second title at the tournament.
The American’s title run included wins over Yulia Putintseva, Lourdes Dominguez Lino, Maria Kirilenko, Ana Isabel Medina Garrigues, Sara Errani and Maria Sharapova.
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Williams, who was the world No 1 at the time, then embarked on a remarkably dominant campaign in Rome as she won the title without dropping a set and without losing more than four games per match.
She dismantled Laura Robson, Dominika Cibulkova, Carla Suarez Navarro, Simona Halep and Victoria Azarenka in the Italian capital.
Iga Swiatek – 2024
Iga Swiatek claimed her maiden Madrid Open title in 2024 as she earned wins against Wang Xiyu, Sorana Cirstea, Sara Sorribes Tormo, Beatriz Haddad Maia, Madison Keys and Sabalenka.
The Pole, who topped the WTA Rankings at the time, then lifted her third Italian Open trophy in four years.
Swiatek did not drop a set in Rome as she dispatched Bernarda Pera, Putintseva, Angelique Kerber, Keys, Coco Gauff and Sabalenka.
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