The world number one saved three match points before coming through a tense tie-break to complete a 7-5 4-6 7-6 (7) victory.
Iga Swiatek produced a stunning fightback to battle past Aryna Sabalenka and win the Madrid Open title after a high-quality final which lasted more than three hours.
Swiatek, though, showed all of her experience to mount a recovery and save three match points before coming through a tense tie-break to complete a 7-5 4-6 7-6 victory.World number two Sabalenka had two championship points when leading 6-5 at the end of the deciding set, but was unable to convert either as Swiatek again dug in to find a winning return at the crucial moment.
With the scores locked again at 5-5, Sabalenka sent a return long to give Swiatek a mini-break and her first championship point of the match only for the Belarussian to produce an ace. The 22-year-old Pole, already a three-time champion at Roland Garros, has now secured the one big European clay tournament which had eluded her.
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