Jaqueline Cristian faces Aryna Sabalenka, the duel of the evening on the Central Court in Madrid
Article by Luminița Paul, David Istrate – Published Saturday, April 25, 2026, 5:40 p.m. / Updated Saturday, April 25, 2026, 5:40 p.m.
The Romanian player Jaqueline Cristian (27 years old, world number 33) faces today in the 3rd round of the WTA 1000 tournament from Madrid with Aryna Sabalenka (28 years old, 1st place WTA) in the opening of the evening session on the Manolo Santana Central Court, not before 21:00 Romanian time. The match will be liveText on GSP and live on Digisport.
Jaqueline Cristian, the 29th seed in the WTA 1000 Madrid Tour, has reached the third round of the Caja Magica tournament for the second time, having done so for the first time in 2024.
There she will meet Aryna Sabalenka, the WTA leader and the untitled champion. Considering the position of his opponent, the match was scheduled on the Manolo Santana Central Court, at the opening of the evening session today, Saturday, April 25. That is, not before 20:00 local time, 21:00 Romanian time.
The two have faced off only once, recently, in March, at Indian Wells, when the Belarusian prevailed with 6-3, 6-1but now Cristian wants to approach the match differently.
“I have nothing to lose, I just want to enjoy the match itself more, because at Indian Wells, I honestly didn't know what to expect. Of course, you know you're playing against the world number 1, you know you expect all the balls to come back very well, as if by hand, but I just want to be able to focus a little more on myself“, she told GSP after her hard-fought victory in the second round over the Ukrainian Julia Starodubtsevawith three match points saved, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4.
Aryna Sabalenka is a triple champion in Madrid
In turn, Aryna Sabalenkathe WTA leader, played in Madrid her first match since Miami and looked a little rusty in the duel she won with the American Peyton Stearns7-5, 6-3.
“I'm very happy to start with a win, although maybe the tennis wasn't that good. However, I felt, with each game played, that I am better. I hope that in the next match I can deliver a superior evolution“, she indicated in the field interview.
Belarus won the Caja Magica title three times, in 2021 after a final with Australian Ashleigh Barty, in 2023 against Igăi Swiatek and last year, in the duel with Coco Gauff. He also lost once in the last act, in 2024, with Swiatek.
