Top five title favourites in women's singles at Madrid Open 2025

Iga Swiatek is the defending champion of the Madrid Open.

Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek are headed for the Madrid Open 2025. They were set to square off in the finals at the Stuttgart Open. However, the potential meeting was prevented by Jelena Ostapenko, with continued dominance over Iga Świątek.

The top WTA players arrive at the La Caja Magica to continue the 2025 season, which is turning out to be one of the most competitive in recent memory. None of the major events have witnessed the defending champion hold on to their crown. 

Sabalenka’s loss to Madison Keys in Melbourne when chasing a third successive Australian Open title appears to have set the ball rolling. Since then, the winner’s roster has included both newcomers and seasoned players, making the list.

While the list includes familiar names such as Aryna Sabalenka, Ekaterina Alexandrova, and Jessica Pegula, the new players include Mirra Andreeva, Amanda Anisimova, and Clara Tauson.

A few tour familiars such as Belinda Bencic, Emma Navarro, and Jelena Ostapenko are back in the winner’s circle after successful title runs on the WTA Tour. On that note, let’s take a look at the title favourites in women’s singles at the Madrid Open 2025.

Mirra Andreeva

Mirra Andreeva, winner of WTA 1000 events in Dubai and Indian Wells, realised the volatile nature of the sport when she was knocked out early in Miami and Stuttgart. Despite recent setbacks, the No. 7 seed looks primed to make a deep run in Madrid thanks to a favourable draw. Andreeva could cross paths with either Coco Gauff or Clara Tauson in the round of 16. 

The 17-year-old first turned up to play in Madrid as a wildcard in 2023. With a WTA ranking closer to 200, she defeated No. 13 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia and No. 17 seed Magda Linette on debut. The following year, Andreeva made a quarter-final run with straight-set wins over Marketa Vondrousova and Jasmine Paolini to underscore her clay-court credentials.

Jelena Ostapenko

Jelena Ostapenko will have the momentum in her favour after defeating three top-ten opponents en route to her maiden Stuttgart Open title. It was the Latvian’s title round debut at the Porsche Arena and her second final this season after Qatar. 

After earning her first Porsche, Ostapenko will focus on the WTA 1000 event in Madrid, where last season she reached the round of 16. The Latvian, who has risen to No. 18 in the WTA Rankings, will look to improve on her performance at La Caja Magica.

Becoming the first player to defeat both Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek at a single WTA event on clay is an important milestone as she prepares to improve on her previous performances in Spain. 

Ons Jabeur

Ons Jabeur made history as the first woman of Arab descent to win a WTA 1000 title at the 2022 Madrid Open. Her recent injuries, including to the calf, forced her to retire from the Miami Open in March 2025.  

Jabeur looks to return to active tennis less than a month after retiring from the Miami Open. The 30-year-old is seeded 26th and will likely face Jessica Pegula, her opponent in the 2022 final, in the third round.

The Tunisian section of the draw has a formidable lineup that includes Ekaterina Alexandrova, Jasmine Paolini, and Elena Rybakina.

Iga Swiatek

Iga Świątek‘s name is conspicuously missing from the winners’ list three months after the 2025 season. The Pole failed to progress beyond the last four on three occasions – Melbourne, Qatar, and Indian Wells. Despite the shortage of titles, she is 22-7 this season and 13-2 in Madrid. 

After losing the 2023 final to Sabalenka, the World No. 2 earned her revenge when she fought off the Belarusian for her maiden Madrid Open trophy in 2024. The three-set thriller was decided by a final-set tiebreak, which saw Swiatek claw her way back to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. 

The Pole once again shares a place in the bottom half of the draw with Jelena Ostapenko, with a chance for a fourth-round clash. Swaitek could face Madison Keys and Coco Gauff in the tournament’s second week.

Aryna Sabalenka 

Despite being denied the Stuttgart Open title in her fourth trip to the final by Jelena Ostapenko, Aryna Sabalenka at Stuttgart remains a formidable contender with the Madrid WTA 1000 around the corner. The Belarusian consoled herself by saying she would go out and buy the Porsche after failing for the fourth time to win one.  

The World No. 1 has a 17-4 record in Madrid, with three finals and two titles under her belt. Sabalenka was close to making it 3-0 in the final in the Spanish capital but squandered a match point last season against Iga Swiatek during a closely fought three-setter. 

Sabalenka has a relatively easy path to the final, with third seed Jessica Pegula being the only real threat based on recent form. The top seed is on a possible collision course with eighth seed Qinwen Zheng, with the pair seeded to meet in the last eight.

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