Aryna Sabalenka’s Madrid campaign moved forward with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Peyton Stearns, though the path through it required more adjustment than assertion. For long stretches, this was a match that resisted separation.
Stearns made sure of that early. She broke first and, more importantly, disrupted the rhythm Sabalenka typically establishes quickly. The exchanges were not dictated by clean, first-strike tennis, but by how well each player could hold structure under pressure. Sabalenka, for a time, was solving rather than imposing.
Early resistance forces a reset
Even after retrieving the break, Sabalenka could not immediately pull away. Stearns stayed level at 3-3, navigating pressure moments with enough composure to keep the set balanced and deny any sense of drift.
The match, at that stage, sat on narrow margins. Sabalenka was creating looks, but not yet converting them into scoreboard control.
Pressure builds late in the first set
The shift came through accumulation. Sabalenka began to apply more consistent pressure on return, extending rallies and forcing Stearns into tighter service games without overreaching.
That approach paid off late in the set. The break for 7-5 was not sudden—it was constructed, the result of repeated strain rather than a single lapse. But on points alone it was 40 apiece, which underlined how closely contested the set was —and how narrow the margin had been between Peyton Stearns staying with Sabalenka and falling just short.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Peyton Stearns – Set One Stats
| Statistic | Aryna Sabalenka | Peyton Stearns |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Winners | 12 | 13 |
| Unforced Errors | 15 | 15 |
| Serve Rating | 270 | 239 |
| Aces | 1 | 3 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 3 |
| 1st Serve % | 65% (26/40) | 73% (29/40) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 58% (15/26) | 72% (21/29) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 64% (9/14) | 27% (3/11) |
| Break Points Saved | 80% (4/5) | 78% (7/9) |
| Service Games | 83% (5/6) | 67% (4/6) |
| Ace % | 2.5% | 7.5% |
| Double Fault % | 2.5% | 7.5% |
| Return Rating | 156 | 115 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 28% (8/29) | 42% (11/26) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 73% (8/11) | 36% (5/14) |
| Break Points Won | 22% (2/9) | 20% (1/5) |
| Return Games | 33% (2/6) | 17% (1/6) |
| Pressure Points | 52% (12/23) | 48% (11/23) |
| Service Points | 60% (24/40) | 60% (24/40) |
| Return Points | 40% (16/40) | 40% (16/40) |
| Total Points | 50% (40/80) | 50% (40/80) |
| Set 1 Duration | 0h55m | |
Second set settles, but tension remains
With the lead secured, Sabalenka’s level steadied. The second set brought clearer patterns and a firmer hold on baseline exchanges, allowing her to edge ahead without needing to force the pace.
There was still a final moment to negotiate. Serving for the match, she faced two break points—an opening for Stearns to extend the contest—but neither was taken. The match closed there, without further complication.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Peyton Stearns – Set Two Stats
| Statistic | Aryna Sabalenka | Peyton Stearns |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.41 | 0.71 |
| Winners | 16 | 9 |
| Unforced Errors | 11 | 10 |
| Serve Rating | 256 | 200 |
| Aces | 1 | 2 |
| Double Faults | 4 | 1 |
| 1st Serve % | 63% (19/30) | 52% (14/27) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 74% (14/19) | 43% (6/14) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 42% (5/12) | 54% (7/13) |
| Break Points Saved | 67% (2/3) | 33% (1/3) |
| Service Games | 80% (4/5) | 50% (2/4) |
| Ace % | 3.3% | 7.4% |
| Double Fault % | 13.3% | 3.7% |
| Return Rating | 220 | 137 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 57% (8/14) | 26% (5/19) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 46% (6/13) | 58% (7/12) |
| Break Points Won | 67% (2/3) | 33% (1/3) |
| Return Games | 50% (2/4) | 20% (1/5) |
| Pressure Points | 70% (7/10) | 30% (3/10) |
| Service Points | 63% (19/30) | 48% (13/27) |
| Return Points | 52% (14/27) | 37% (11/30) |
| Total Points | 58% (33/57) | 42% (24/57) |
| Set 2 Duration | 0h41m | |
The numbers reflect the margins
The full match statistics underline a performance built on gradual separation. Sabalenka posted a dominance ratio of 1.16 to Stearns’ 0.86 and edged the total points tally 73 to 64.
Her serve held up when required, winning 66% of first-serve points and 54% behind the second, while saving six of eight break points. On return, she created the steadier pressure, converting four of 12 chances and winning 40% of return games.
Stearns remained competitive throughout, striking five aces and keeping her error count close (25 to Sabalenka’s 26), but she was unable to sustain scoreboard pressure once the first set slipped away.
From there, the match stayed on Sabalenka’s terms, as she moved into the third round, where she will face Romania’s world No. 33, Jaqueline Cristian, who defeated Yuliia Starodubtseva.