Aryna Sabalenka finds comfort in scenic 'sunset dinner' with friends after misfortune amid Madrid power outage
Amid the ongoing Madrid Open, Aryna Sabalenka spent her day by having a beautiful sunset dinner with her friends. This was after her scheduled fourth-round match was cancelled on April 28 (Monday), due to a large-scale power outage in the Spanish Capital.
Unforeseen atmospheric conditions, which led to grid instability, led to a mass-scale power outage in most parts of Spain and Portugal. The situation led to the failure of electronic systems and necessary services such as mobile coverage. The situation prompted the organizers of the Madrid Open to halt the other matches for the day due to security reasons. As a result, Sablenka's fourth-round match against Peyron Stearns was shifted to the next day on April 29 (Tuesday).
However, the World No. 1 seemed in good spirits as she enjoyed her unexpected off-day with her friends. She shared pictures of them having dinner during sunset and enjoying themselves on her official Instagram account.
"Sunset dinners in Spain," read the post.
The power outage has thrown the entire schedule of the Madrid Open into chaos for both men and women. While six women's fourth-round matches are supposed to take place on Tuesday, the men's draw will see four fourth-round matches, and the remaining seven third-round matches take place on a hectic day in Madrid.
Aryna Sabalenka is a two-time champion in Madrid
Both of Aryna Sabalenka's clay-court titles have come at the Madrid Open. Madrid's unique factors, including its altitude and the faster pace of the clay courts, have always suited the Belarusian's power game. She has a 19-4 win/loss record there, with an 82 percent win rate.
Sabalenka clinched her first Madrid title in 2021, with wins over Vera Zvonareva, Daria Kasatkina, Jessica Pegula, Elise Mertens, and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to reach the final. In the summit clash, she won 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 against the top seed Ashleigh Barty.
The second Madrid title for Sabalenka came in 2023 when she reached the final with wins over Sorana Cirstea, Camila Osorio, Mirra Andreeva, Mayar Sheriff, and Maria Sakkari. Once again, she defeated a top seed in the Madrid final, winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 against Iga Swiatek.
Sabalenka came very close to completing a trifecta of Madrid titles last year, as she reached her third final with wins over Magda Linette, Robin Montgomery, Danielle Collins, Mirra Andreeva, and Elena Rybakina. However, in one of the best matches of the year, the Belarusian fell short against Swiatek, losing 5-7, 6-4, 6-7 (7).