Sabalenka and Gauff, finalists in Madrid Open

There won't be the anticipated final in the Mutua Madrid Open. Aryna Sabalenka played her part in defeating Elina Svitolina (6-3, 7-5) to set up a third title in the capital, but Iga Swiatek collapsed and lost to Coco Gauff (6-1, 6-1) giving the American a chance to win her first WTA 1000 clay-court title.

Polish defending champion Swiatek had a disappointing semi-final, throughout the week her tennis had been far from that of a great champion like herself, but she always found a solution. Against Eala she recovered from a set and break point and against Madison Keys she got up 6-0, but against Gauff she didn't stop sinking. In the first set, Guaff was up 6-1, Swiatek's first set on clay since the French Open 2019 against Simona Halep. Then the second set was added, where she ended up crying because she didn't understand what was happening on the court.

Gauff was solid, but above all she took advantage of the shotgun of Swiatek's strokes, who committed a score of unforced errors and was even unable to generate a break for the first time in her career in a clay court match at WTA level. The tournament was without its champion. "Honestly, I didn't play well even in the matches I won," admitted Swiatek, who now only has Rome to fine-tune her play before the start of Roland Garros on 25 May.

In the other semi-final, Sabalenka won the tense duel against Ukraine's Svitolina, but not without problems. As much as the Belarusian delivered in two sets, Svitolina, with her solid baseline game and counter-attacks, had chances to contest beyond 6-3 in the first set and in the second set she had a come back from 5-3 to 5-5. However, it's Sabalenka, champion in 2022 and 2023, who now has the chance to equal Petra Kvitova as winner of the Madrid tournament.

In the men's draw, the semi-finals were decided after Thursday's play-offs. Casper Ruud, probably the best clay-court player in the draw, knocked out Daniil Medvedev (6-3, 7-5) and returns to the Madrid semi-finals four years later. The Norwegian, who could return to the world top-10 if he wins the tournament, has yet to lose a set in two weeks of competition in Madrid. Ruud looks like the favourite for the title alongside Lorenzo Musetti, who after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Miñaur, also defeated lucky loser Gabriel Diallo 6-4, 6-3.

The Norwegian will face Francisco Cerúndolo in the semi-finals, who won a great match against Miami champion Jakub Mensik (3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2), while Musetti will be looking for his second consecutive Masters 1000 final, after Monte Carlo. Musetti will be up against Jack Draper, whose forehand is playing perfectly in Madrid and, like Ruud, has not dropped a set in the whole tournament. The Briton earned his ticket to the semi-finals by beating Matteo Arnaldi. The two semi-finals will be played on Friday, while the men's final is scheduled for Sunday.