Madrid Open 2023: Aryna Sabalenka vs. Maria Sakkari Tennis Pick and Prediction

TennisSection previews the 2023 Madrid Open semifinal match featuring Aryna Sabalenka vs. Maria Sakkari on Thursday, May 4, 2023.

Aryna Sabalenka vs. Maria Sakkari Preview

Aryna Sabalenka will cross paths with Maria Sakkari in a meeting between two top-10 players in the semifinal of the Madrid Open. Who will prevail?

Aryna Sabalenka preserved her unbeaten record in quarterfinal matches on clay courts, winning her latest bout against Egyptian trailblazer Mayar Sherif 2-6, 6-2, 6-1. She was tested for a set and a half, but once she found a higher gear, Sherif could not match Sabalenka’s aggression. The Belarusian has now made her fifth semifinal in seven tournaments this season.

Maria Sakkari has weathered the storm at the 2023 Madrid Open. With a handful of potential challengers making early exits, Sakkari’s path has looked a little different from what was projected at the start of the tournament, with the highest-ranked player she has faced in her run to the semis being World No. 35 Irina-Camelia Begu.

Aryna Sabalenka vs. Maria Sakkari Prediction and Pick

Aryna Sabalenka leads Maria Sakkari 5-3 in their head-to-head. Not a single match was contested on clay before, but the state of these courts at the Madrid Open means that conditions will favor the big-hitting Sabalenka. The Belarusian has the best winner-unforced error ratio of any player this season, elevating her game to heights we’ve not seen before in her career. Sakkari has put together a fine run this fortnight, but over the course of the season so far, Sabalenka is clearly miles ahead. We expect the second seed to reach her second final in the Spanish capital.