Video - When Sabalenka Loses Her Racket Mid-Point Against Gauff

This Saturday evening, the world No. 1 confirmed her status as the best player in the world. The Belarusian, who struggled early in the second set, ultimately found the resources to win in straight sets against Coco Gauff (6-3, 7-6).

Even though she didn’t always play her best tennis in the tournament, Sabalenka triumphed for the third time in her career at the WTA 1000 in Madrid, having already lifted the trophy in 2021 and 2023.

In the second set, Sabalenka trailed 5-3 before breaking back. Moreover, when she had clawed her way back to 5-4 and earned three break points, the Belarusian missed the first two—with the second one lost in an unusual fashion.

After an excellent serve from the American, Sabalenka hit a short return that forced Gauff to approach the net. But as she sprinted to retrieve the ball, the Australian Open finalist lost her racket and couldn’t finish the point (see video below).

This moment didn’t disrupt the flow of the match, and Sabalenka eventually leveled before taking the lead for good. With her 31st win of the season, the Belarusian, who claimed her third title this year, further extends her lead over Iga Swiatek in the WTA rankings.