The third-seeded Gauff will kick off her Madrid campaign against Arantxa Rus, with wild card Amanda Anisimova potentially 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 possibly being her last-16 opponent.
Gauff, Anisimova, and Collins are among the 13 American women in the Madrid singles draw, which is 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. However, she has a poor record in Madrid, with just 3 wins out of 7 matches played. Her best performance in the Spanish capital was making it to the last 16 in 2022. In contrast, Sabalenka is a two-time champion in Madrid and has won both titles by defeating world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and Ashleigh Barty respectively.
After winning the 2023 US Open, Gauff reached a career-high world No. 3 ranking. Her victory in the final against Sabalenka with a score of 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 marked her first Grand Slam singles title.