The third-seeded Gauff will begin her Madrid campaign against Arantxa Rus, with wild card Amanda Anisimova possibly being her next opponent. Naomi Osaka could be waiting in the last 16 for her. On the other hand, Sabalenka will face either Magda Linette or Elisabetta Cocciaretto in her opening match, with Danielle Collins potentially being her last-16 opponent.
Gauff, Anisimova, and Collins are part of the 13 American women in the Madrid singles draw, the most representation from any nation. Gauff’s record coming into Madrid is 19-6 for the year, tied for the fifth-most wins on the 2024 season, but she is just 3-3 in Madrid. Her best performance in the Spanish capital was making it to the last 16 in 2022. On the other hand, Sabalenka is a two-time champion in Madrid, defeating world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in last year’s final and Ashleigh Barty in the 2021 title match.
Gauff’s victory at the US Open helped her reach a career-high world No. 3 ranking. Her win over Sabalenka with a score of 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 marked her first Grand Slam singles title.