Madrid Open: Baptiste shocks world no. 1 Sabalenka in epic comeback, enters last four

Hailey Baptiste delivered a career-defining performance, stunning World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to reach her first WTA 1000 semifinal at the Madrid Open.

The 24-year-old saved six match points in a dramatic 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(6) comeback win that lasted two hours and 30 minutes, snapping Sabalenka’s 15-match winning streak in the process.

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Baptiste, who had never beaten a top 5 player before this week, continued her breakout run after defeating Jasmine Paolini earlier in the tournament.

Sabalenka dominated the opening set, controlling rallies from the baseline, but Baptiste flipped the match in the second with aggressive shot-making and early breaks to force a decider.

The final set was a tense battle of nerve. Sabalenka moved within touching distance of victory, earning multiple match points, but Baptiste held firm under pressure to force a tiebreak, where she again saved a match point before sealing the win.

Reflecting on her approach, Baptiste said:

“I played her a few weeks ago and it was kind of a close match. I just got broken once in each set. So I had a better idea of how to play her, and how I should play, adjustments I needed to make. So I think I just went in trying to play my game, still doing the same things that I’ve been doing, but I had a few adjustments I needed to make from the last time we played,” Baptiste said in her post-match press conference.

On handling pressure moments, she added:

“I wouldn’t say that I’m necessarily working on hitting balls outside the alley. But obviously when you’re playing points all the time you get into those positions. I actually really enjoy being in those positions, because I feel like I can create shots there. I was able to do it in a really big moment.”

Sabalenka, meanwhile, acknowledged the shift in momentum and praised her opponent’s intent:

“I feel like in Miami I didn’t give her many opportunities. She couldn’t break my serve. Here, the first game, second set, I just double-faulted twice out of nowhere. It felt like that gave her belief. After that, she just started playing more aggressively. She was playing brave tennis. What can I say? Well done.”

With the win, Baptiste moves closer to a potential Top 30 breakthrough and will face ninth seed Mirra Andreeva in the semifinals, after the latter beat Leylah Fernandez in straight sets.

For Sabalenka, it marks a rare setback in an otherwise dominant stretch on tour.