Iga Swiatek & Aryna Sabalenka create history with Italian Open final run, become first WTA Top-2 to meet twice in two weeks since 2000
The Italian Open 2024 final will be played between World No. 1 Iga Swiatek and World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka. The pair faced off for the title in Madrid as well just two weeks ago. In the process of reaching the final again, the WTA's top 2 stars have achieved a feat that has not been achieved in over two decades.
Iga Swiatek has breezed past her opponents in Italy as the Pole has not dropped a set in five matches. She defeated the likes of Bernarda Pera, Yulia Putintseva, Angelique Kerber, Madison Keys, and Coco Gauff to reach the final in Rome.
Meanwhile, Sabalenka dropped two sets on her way to the final. She had difficult opponents in her path but she took them all out including Katie Volynets, Dayana Yastremska, Elina Svitolina, Jelena Ostapenko, and Danielle Collins.
On May 4, Swiatek and Sabalenka played out a marathon final in Madrid which lasted over three hours. The Pole saved three championship points to win the match 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7).
Upon setting up a clash in the final in Italy just two weeks after Madrid, the pair has achieved a rare feat. They will become the first women's World No. 1 and World No. 2 to face off twice in a two-week span since 2000.
Martina Hingis and Lindsay Davenport achieved the feat when they reached the Indian Wells (March 18) and Miami (April 1) finals. Davenport triumphed at the Indian Wells 4–6, 6–4, 6–0 and Hingis exacted her revenge in Miami by winning 6–3, 6–2.
Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka's Italian Open 2024 final is the first since 2013 when the WTA Top-2 meet in a final of consecutive WTA 1000 events
Another feat achieved by Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka's upcoming final is that they are the first WTA No. 1 and No. 2 to meet in consecutive WTA 1000 finals since 2013.
A similar feat was achieved by Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova in 2013 at the Miami Open (March 30) and the Madrid Open (May 11) finals. Williams bagged both finals with a 4–6, 6–3, 6–0 win in Miami and a 6–1, 6–4 win in Madrid.
For Swiatek and Sabalenka, this will be the fifth final where they face each other. Swiatek has won three including the Madrid Open two weeks ago and the Stuttgart Open finals in 2022 and 2023. Sabalenka won the Madrid Open final against Swiatek last year.
Overall, Iga Swiatek has won seven times against Aryna Sabalenka, compared to the Belarusian's three. The Italian Open final on Saturday, May 18, will be their 11th meeting.