It is the 22-year-olds 20th career title and denies Sabalenka a third crown in the Spanish capital.

After the players exchanged early service breaks, they settled down and it was the serve that dominated proceedings.

Swiatek was the first to be tested and as she started to make more unforced errors she needed to work hard to save three break points and level at 3-3.

In the next game it was Swiateks turn to earn break-point opportunities, but Sabalenka saved both thanks to a pair of forehand winners.

But it was Swiatek who seized the initiative, forcing a couple of errors from her opponent to go 6-5 up and she showed nerves of steel on her own serve to take the set.

Sabalenka had been a set and a break down before beating Elena Rybakina in Fridays semi-final, and made a superb start to the second set here, holding and then breaking to go 2-0 up.

That started a run of four breaks in a row, only halted when the Pole, a four-time French Open champion, held to level at 3-3.

Sabalenka did her best not to let her rival settle into a rhythm and was rewarded when the pressure told on Swiatek as she served to stay in the second set, the Australian Open champion sending a smart forehand down the line to level the match at one set apiece.

Sabalenka seized the early initiative in the decider, breaking to go 3-1 up and pile on the pressure but Swiatek clawed her way back into it and twice had to serve to stay in the match.

The Belarusian, who turns 26 on Sunday, twice saw championship points come and go as Swiatek forced the tie-break - a first between the pair.

Sabalenka went long with a forehand for Swiatek to earn her first match point, and although Sabalenka responded with an ace, moments later the world number one was given another chance - and Sabalenka went long again to spark celebrations.

"We were not accurate enough in the first half and we gave a very good side a 17-point head start," Dowson told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"They shut us down at the set-piece efficiently and we couldn't get the ball away from the breakdown quickly so our attack was stilted.

"This is the first European semi we have been in for some time against a very good Leinster defence and we made some uncharacteristic errors.

"Those things are going to happen but there were a lot of them, but we stuck at it and gave ourselves a chance."

Premiership leaders Northampton have been praised for their attack this season, but Dowson says he was "frustrated" his side were unable to impose themselves.

He added: "Our defence, our collisions and our effort were outstanding and that allowed us to still be in the game.

"It speaks volumes of the group and it's clear how invested the players are in each other.

"In the second half, we slowly reeled them back in but we didnt have enough."

Xavi Hernández said Saturday's crushing 4-2 defeat at Girona was emblematic of Barcelona's shortcomings this season, but insisted his team have been the better side in their four games against their Catalan rivals and Real Madrid.

Girona's win at Montilivi sealed their place in the Champions League for the first time the Catalan club's history, while it also meant Madrid were crowned LaLiga champions with four games to spare.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Barça, meanwhile, have dropped to third in the table, below Girona, and with a second-place finish and a spot in next season's Spanish Super Cup now out of their hands.

"I am really sad and disappointed because we have seen both sides of the coin in one game," Xavi said in his post-game news conference.

"I was very satisfied at half time because we pressed well and dominated Girona, which is very difficult, perhaps until the 60th minute. From there, it's the summary of our season.

"We were not clinical. If we get the third goal, it changes the game. I don't know how many chances we created, but enough. We need to be more effective in the final third.

"And then it's about mistakes. We had the game under control, but once again it comes down to errors."

Andreas Christensen and Robert Lewandowski had given Barça a 2-1 lead at the break, with Girona responding through LaLiga's top scorer Artem Dovbyk.

However, the game swung in the second half thanks to goals from Miguel Gutiérrez and a brace from substitute Portu in the final 30 minutes as Girona booked their place in next season's Champions League.

Barça have now lost both league games against Girona this season for the first time, conceding eight times in the process, while they were also beaten in both El Clásico fixtures against Madrid.

However, Xavi said he believes the results did not reflect the balance of play in those matches.

"In the four games against the two teams above us, Madrid and Girona, we have been superior," the Barça boss insisted. "But it is not reflected in the scoreline and we have lost all four, so we have to improve a lot."

Barça's season will end trophyless but they are still competing for second place with Girona and a place in next season's Super Cup -- and the cash boost that comes with the four-team tournament that is played in Saudi Arabia.

"We will give our all to win these final four games and finish second, but it is no longer in our hands," Xavi added.

"We have to compete better. The first hour, for me, was very good. The last 30 minutes were not at the level required from these players or this club.

"The team tried until the end, but we lost our order after the goals. When you see the scoreline is 4-2, it's not easy to digest. We need to pick the team up mentally and go again."

Erik ten Hag in, or Erik ten Hag out? Manchester United fans are either one or the other. A miserable season at Old Trafford has prompted a referendum on the Dutchman's future, and the former Ajax coach is at risk of being sacked this summer.

Tasked with overseeing football operations after buying a 27.7% stake earlier this year, new United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team have remained tight-lipped about their plans for the manager, though saying nothing at all has only fanned the flames of supporter debate. Ten Hag enjoyed a relatively successful first season in the job, winning the Carabao Cup, reaching the FA Cup final and finishing third in the Premier League to earn UEFA Champions League qualification.

This season, though, it has been a different story. United were dumped out of European competition before Christmas after finishing bottom of their Champions League group and, with four games left, they can finish no higher than fifth in the Premier League. The one highlight has been an FA Cup campaign which will end with a second successive final against neighbours Manchester City at the end of May, but there have been far more negatives than positives.

There's a case to sack Ten Hag, but also an argument to keep him and there are entrenched sets of fans on both sides.

The case for Ten Hag to go

Finishing in the top four has usually been the minimum requirement for United managers and after Saturday's 1-1 draw with Burnley, that's no longer mathematically possible.

Sitting sixth heading into the weekend, they could yet finish below Newcastle United and Chelsea, and anything less than seventh would make it United's worst finish in the entire Premier League era. Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Newcastle and Brighton are their four remaining games and amid a run of form that's seen United win just twice in nine league games, there are no guarantees.

Deconstructing their season by the numbers makes for horrific reading.

United have conceded 77 goals in all competitions -- already the most in a single campaign for 45 years -- while also struggling to score at the other end. Their 52 league goals is the joint-lowest of any team in the top half of the Premier League and the same number as Brentford, who are 16th. They conceded 15 goals in six group games during a disastrous Champions League campaign as they finished bottom of Group A, managing just one win in four games against FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray.

Ten Hag's style of play has also been questioned consistently since he arrived in 2022, with many fans believing that his approach relies heavily on individual moments of skill rather than a well-thought-out tactical blueprint. The aggressive press of United's forwards combined with a low defensive block often leaves acres of space in United's midfield, and opponents have enjoyed plenty of freedom to shoot at André Onana.

United have conceded 602 shots in the Premier League this season, a number exceeded only by Sheffield United and Luton Town. Sheffield United have already been relegated and Luton, currently 17th, are on course to follow. Burnley are the league's lowest scorers, but in Saturday's draw at Old Trafford, they managed 16 attempts on goal. Newport County, who finished 18th in League Two, had 17 shots in their FA Cup tie in January.

The United fans not in favour of keeping Ten Hag will tell you that these issues aren't isolated to this season. Since the Carabao Cup final in February 2023, United have lost 33% of their games, including a humiliating 7-0 defeat to Liverpool in Anfield.

Ten Hag hasn't won many friends with his involvement in United's recruitment either, particularly his decision to push for the 86 million purchase of Antony from former club Ajax. The Brazilian winger has so far been an unmitigated disaster, contributing little on the pitch and creating a huge hole in the club's finances.

The case to stay

Ten Hag will tell you that the biggest difference between this season and last is the number of injuries suffered by members of his first-team squad. United have had more than 60 separate cases of injury or illness this season totalling more than 1,300 days of absences. His defence has been hit particularly hard, forcing Ten Hag to use 13 different centre-back combinations, including using midfielder Casemiro in the centre of defence in the last three games.

Lisandro Martínez has been available for only 11 games while Luke Shaw has been restricted to 15 appearances, meaning Ten Hag has been missing the left side of his defence for the most of the season. Martinez and Shaw have been able to start together just five times. United kept more Premier League clean sheets than anyone else last season, leaving Ten Hag a fair argument that his tactical plan isn't the reason for his side's vulnerabilities, which are far more connected to the personnel at his disposal.

Despite problems keeping players fit, Ten Hag can also point to United's improvement in front of goal. Since the turn of the year, they've scored 44 goals in 19 games at an average of 2.3 per match, leading him to say after the draw with Burnley that his team were one of the most "entertaining" in the league.

It should not be forgotten that on his arrival from Ajax in 2022, Ten Hag inherited a team that had just finished sixth with a dysfunctional dressing room full of ego and short on discipline. He's had to navigate off-field issues involving Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Antony while also dealing with the ownership saga that ended with Ratcliffe buying his minority stake.

In the face of it all, he's reached three cup finals in two years. By lifting the 2023 Carabao Cup, he won the club's first trophy for more than five years. There's an argument that with one trophy, another cup final and a third-place finish in the league, he overachieved in his first season, and because of that it was always going to be difficult to build on it with more progress.

Financial restrictions haven't helped his squad-building. It should be remembered that in January 2023 he was only allowed to bring in Wout Weghorst and Marcel Sabitzer on loan, while in the last window he was told there was no money available to bring in an additional striker to help Rasmus Højlund.

Højlund (21), Kobbie Mainoo (19) and Alejandro Garnacho (19) have formed a core of young players given valuable experience and responsibility by Ten Hag which the Dutchman believes will pay off in the future.

Ratcliffe himself has made the point that perhaps United's off-field structure -- not the manager -- has been to blame for the repeated failures since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. If Ten Hag stays, he would benefit from working with a new backroom team consisting of CEO Omar Berrada, technical director Jason Wilcox and incoming sporting director Dan Ashworth.

The WNBA debuts of Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso were widely watched on a social media livestream from a fan who stepped in when the league's app couldn't broadcast the game.

Reese and Cardoso played in their first preseason game for the Chicago Sky on Friday night in a 92-81 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.

The WNBA's app had incorrectly listed the game as available to watch, leading to confusion from fans before the league clarified that only Caitlin Clark's debut with the Indiana Fever was being broadcast.

That's when @heyheyitsalli stepped in on X.

"Would y'all want me to try and stream the game on here??" the X user asked. "No promises on the quality but i can try."

Viewership numbers on the livestream varied, but on Saturday the video showed about 434,000 total views. The X user previously posted a screenshot showing that the stream peaked at 173,381 live viewers.

"Y'all these are some of THE WILDEST numbers WOW," the user tweeted.

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve was asked about the stream after the game. She said @heyheyitsalli deserves $3 per viewer.

"Anybody that watched it should send three bucks to the person, I don't even know who it is," Reeve said. "I think that what I would say is that the growth is happening so fast. It's so accelerated. And I've been saying this in our own organization -- that business as usual isn't going to work anymore.

"You're gonna get left behind, and this is an example."

Reeve said she understands that Clark's game would be broadcast and is "all for that."

"People want to see that, but they also want to see, you know, it's not just about Caitlin," Reeve said. "This isn't Caitlin's fault it any way. It's more, you know, the recognition that there's general excitement about the WNBA in ways that we haven't seen before. And so we have to capitalize to really ensure that this is a movement."

Reese finished the game with 13 points and nine rebounds in 24 minutes. Cardoso had six points and four rebounds in 13 minutes.

Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon said she was pleased with the rookies' debuts.

"This is a learning process for all of us. ... And we're going through that process in the right way," she said. "We got our leaders leading them, pulling them along. Keeping them confident. That's what matters. So we're in a great place, and they're in a hell of a great place."

Former Michigan standout and Los Angeles Lakers draft pick Darius Morris has died at 33, his family announced Saturday.

No cause of death was given. TMZ reported Morris' body was found in the Los Angeles area on Thursday. He was a Los Angeles native.

"With great sadness we announce the passing of our dearly beloved son, Darius Aaron Morris," Morris' family told TMZ on Saturday. "During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace."

Morris was a second-round pick of the Lakers in the 2011 draft. He averaged 3.3 points in 132 career games (17 starts) with the Lakers and four other teams in four NBA seasons. He went on to play professionally in China and France, last playing in 2019-20.

The Lakers said in a post to X they were "heartbroken by the passing" of Morris.

After missing the past two-plus seasons with a knee injury, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has exercised the $21.4 million option on his contract for the 2024-25 season, sources told ESPN on Saturday.

Ball has undergone three surgeries on his left knee, the most recent a cartilage transplant in 2023. There remains some guarded hope that he could return next season, but there are no assurances that the damaged knee will allow for him to play again.

Ball, 26, signed an original four-year, $80 million deal as part of a sign-and-trade with New Orleans in the summer of 2021. After a fantastic start that had the Bulls leading the Eastern Conference in 2021-22, Ball averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.8 steals before a knee injury 35 games into the season.

His inactivity has caused his contract to become a blight on the Bulls' salary cap.

Ball was the No. 2 overall pick to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2017 NBA draft and eventually was traded to the Pelicans as part of the Anthony Davis blockbuster deal.

DALLAS -- Mavericks reserve power forward/center Maxi Kleber will be sidelined indefinitely after suffering a third-degree dislocation of the AC joint of his right shoulder, sources told ESPN.

The injury could sideline Kleber for the remainder of the Mavs' playoff run, a source said.

Dallas will face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals series that begins Tuesday night.

Kleber, who missed most of the first half of the season with a dislocated toe, is a key defender who provides Dallas with lineup versatility. He shot 10-of-18 from 3-point range in the Mavs' first-round series win over the LA Clippers.

Kleber suffered the injury on a gruesome fall early in the second quarter of Friday's Game 6 elimination victory over LA. He landed on the shoulder after being fouled by Clippers forward Amir Coffey on a fast-break layup attempt.

Kleber, an important role player during Dallas' run to the 2022 West finals, shot the free throws after he was injured but exited the game one possession later.