Hailey Baptiste pulled off a huge upset in Madrid, knocking Aryna Sabalenka out of the quarterfinals.
The world number one had only been beaten by Elena Rybakina this season, and she arrived in Madrid riding a 15-match winning streak after back-to-back titles in Indian Wells and Miami.
Sabalenka had come through a tough test against Naomi Osaka in the previous round and looked poised to chase a fourth Madrid title, which would have set a new tournament record.
Sabalenka had already beaten Baptiste earlier this season at the Miami Open, but this time around she couldn’t finish the job despite having six match points.
Sabalenka took the opening set, but it was Baptiste who came out on top in a close battle, winning 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(6) on Manolo Santana Stadium.
Speaking after the match, Sabalenka gave credit to her opponent for how she played but admitted she could have been more patient during key moments of the third set.
“Yeah, it was a tough match. She played great. I played great,” Sabalenka said. “I think I had some opportunities in the third set. I felt like I was maybe a little bit rushing the point over there. But it’s okay, sometimes I guess you have to learn, take the bad stuff from this week and move on.”
Sabalenka continued: “I think she played great points. I mean, I had some opportunities, didn’t use them. She played really brave tennis I feel like on those match points.”
She was then asked about what changed compared to their previous meeting in Miami earlier this year when she won comfortably.
“Here, first game second set, I just double faulted twice out of nowhere. It felt like that gave her belief,” Sabalenka said.
Sabalenka losing any match is rare nowadays, but particularly after she has had match points.
The last time Sabalenka lost after having match points was also in Madrid, back in the 2024 final against Iga Swiatek.
Swiatek won her first Madrid Open title by defeating Sabalenka 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(7), saving three championship points along the way.
Their clash was later named the WTA’s ‘Match of the Year’ for 2024.
Sabalenka went on to reach the Italian Open final that year and will now be aiming to claim her first title in Rome this season.
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