Sabalenka's progress faces test as she enters Swiatek's Rome fortress | Tumaini Carayol

Just how much the world No 2 has closed the gap on her rival could become clear on the slow clay in Italy Early in the second set of the Madrid Open final, Aryna Sabalenka was in full flow. After planting herself inside the baseline, Sabalenka unloaded on her nuclear groundstrokes, slamming the ball from side to side. Each time she seemed to have landed the decisive blow, though Iga Swiatek would slide into view in the nick of time, her supreme defence keeping her alive. It took 10 strokes until...