Aryna Sabalenka was very close to winning the 2024 Madrid Open, but she didn't, and it was a tough loss to accept.
The Belarusian player has triumphed at the WTA 1000 event in Madrid two times so far, but she didn't add a third trophy this year. She came close to it, though, as she had a couple of break points, which Iga Swiatek saved en route to the trophy.
It's a tough loss for Sabalenka to accept because she really gave it her all. The week started shaky for her, but she was able to work her way to a decent level; unfortunately for her, it wasn't enough.
She spoke about the difficulty of accepting defeat after the match. It was certainly harder to digest, given she had match points.
"I think it's tougher, especially remembering all your thoughts on all your match points and the way you played. It was just, like, too close. I think it's tougher. But for me, you know, I'm going to suffer for a day, and tomorrow I'm leaving to Rome, so I'm going to forget it quickly. It's my birthday tomorrow. I hope I'm going to be in a good mood."
As she said, she won't dwell too much on it because tennis never stops, and the Italian Open in Rome is coming up quickly. She also celebrates her birthday, so ultimately, there are positives moments to look forward to.
"Anyway, I'm going to be in a good mood. I am 26 tomorrow. It sucks. But it's a tough one. You know, it's a tough one to accept. But at the same time, it's not like you lost the match easily and you didn't do your best. I think I gave my all today, and I just can be proud of myself, and hopefully, like we spoke on the court, next year it goes to my side."