MADRID -- The Mutua Madrid Open final is set for Saturday. For the second straight tournament, World No.1 Iga Swiatek takes on No.2 Aryna Sabalenka for the title.

Coming off the title in Stuttgart, Swiatek takes her nine-match win streak and impressive clay resume into the showdown, as she looks to add Madrid to her growing collection of WTA 1000 titles.

But Sabalenka knows a thing or two about stunning a World No.1 in a final at the Caja Magica. Two years ago, she avenged a Stuttgart loss to Ashleigh Barty to win Madrid, which remains her sole clay-court title. 

Can Sabalenka do it again?

Here's what you need to know ahead of Saturday:

When is the women's singles final? 

The singles final will be played on Saturday, May 6 at 6:30 p.m.

What are the points and prize-money at stake?

By virtue of making Saturday's final, Swiatek and Sabalenka are guaranteed at least €580,000 and 650 ranking points for their fortnight in Madrid. The winner of Saturday's final will walk away with €1,105,265 and 1,000 points.

How did Swiatek and Sabalenka get here?

Swiatek and Sabalenka faced off just two weeks ago in the final of Stuttgart. Swiatek opened her clay season by getting the better of the Australian Open champion, winning 6-3, 6-4 on indoor clay. 

The two continued their runs through the draw in Madrid, dropping just one set each. Swiatek defeated Julia Grabher and 28th seed Bernarda Pera before being taken to three sets by 16th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the Round of 16. In the subsequent wins against 27th seed Petra Martic in the quarterfinals and 12th seed Veronika Kudermetova in the semifinals, Swiatek lost a combined five games. 

A champion in Madrid just two years ago, Sabalenka has enjoyed a similarly dominant two weeks. After avenging her Miami loss to Sorana Cirstea in her opener, she defeated Camila Osorio, Mirra Andreeva, Mayar Sherif and No.9 seed Maria Sakkari in the semifinals. 

What milestones are at stake on Saturday? 

Swiatek is bidding to win her 14th career title and sixth on clay. A win in Madrid would give complete her set of the biggest European clay-court titles. At 21 years old, she already has won Roland Garros (2020, 2022), Rome (2021, 2022) and Stuttgart (2022, 2023). 

Sabalenka is looking for her 13th career title and second on clay. A win would make her the fourth player to win Madrid more than once, joining Serena Williams (2), Simona Halep (2) and Petra Kvitova (3).

Saturday's winner will leave Madrid as the tour's leader in titles this season. Both are bidding for their third. Sabalenka began her season with back-to-back titles in Adelaide 1 and the Australian Open. Swiatek has enjoyed two successful title defenses this season, in Doha and Stuttgart. 

Already the tour's leader in match wins, Sabalenka can extend her total to 29 victories with only four losses. A win for Swiatek would extend her current win streak to 10 matches and move her season record to 25-4.

When the World No.1 and No.2 take the court for the Madrid final, it will be the first WTA 1000 final between the World No.1 and No.2 since Serena Williams faced Li Na in the 2014 Miami final. 

With Swiatek and Sabalenka contesting the Stuttgart final two weeks ago, this is just the third time in the past 40 years the No.1 and No.2 will meet twice on clay in a single season. The last time it happened was 10 years ago, when Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova faced off in Madrid and Roland Garros. Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert also met twice in 1984 at Amelia Island and Roland Garros. 

Swiatek is the first No.1 to reach the Madrid final since Barty finished runner-up to Sabalenka in 2021. She is bidding to become the third No.1 to win the tournament after Dinara Safina in 2009 and Serena Williams in 2013.

How do they stack up?

Swiatek leads their head-to-head 5-2. Both of Sabalenka's wins came in three sets on hard courts at the WTA Finals, first in Guadalajara in 2021 and last fall in Fort Worth. In contrast, four of Swiatek's five wins came in straight sets.

Swiatek is 3-0 against Sabalenka on clay, winning all six sets.

Keep an eye on how the first set swings. Swiatek is undefeated this season when she wins the first set (23-0). She is also undefeated at WTA 1000 tournaments when she wins the opener (45-0). In her career she is 48-1 in on clay when she wins the first set. Her only loss came to Karolina Muchova at 2019 Prague. 

What are they saying? 

Sabalenka: "I think it's really good that we are playing so consistently so we are meeting each other in the finals, and hopefully it can be the same.

"But, yeah, it's always tough. It's always great battles. You always have to fight really, really hard against Iga. I'm ready for that."

Swiatek: "I think every match is different and every match is hard against Aryna, especially. I don't know if it will be hard or easier, because it's always hard. I'm just going to be focused and disciplined and try to do my job no matter how she's going to play or how the conditions will be."

Sabalenka: "I would say our first matches last season when I didn't feel my best, it was really tough to play against her because I didn't have so many weapons. I had my character and that's it. Later on in the season when I fixed my serve, I understand that actually I can play well against her, I can beat her. 

"Right now it's a different mentality. Going into this match you just kind of prepare yourself for a tough battle, and whatever happens on court, it's not really bothering you. You're focused, you're ready for that, and you're really enjoying these battles."

Swiatek: "I always have good feelings about this surface. Even when I'm in a tougher position or when the match is not going the right way I know I have the ability to change something up and I have a Plan B. On clay I feel like I have more weapons and I can use them. It doesn't matter what the streak is or how many matches I've won. I always feel good on clay."

Sabalenka: "It's going to be really amazing if I can beat a player like Iga on clay court. I don't have to rush things. I just have to wait for my opportunity and I just have to, yeah, take it and go for it.

"I think in Stuttgart I was going crazy when I had these slower shots or shorter shot or approach shot. I was rushing things. I tried to go for winners. This time I'll just play with more passion, and I'll just wait for a better shot to finish the point."