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Baptiste Upsets Sabalenka, Saves Six Match Points in Madrid Open

4/29/2026

35 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Baptiste Upsets Sabalenka

Hailey Baptiste beat world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(6) at the Madrid Open on April 28, 2026.
Baptiste saved six match points—five on serve—in the third set, ending Sabalenka’s 15-match streak and giving Baptiste her first top-five win, a WTA 1000 semifinal and a ranking of No. 24.
She saved 11 of 17 break points and will meet No. 9 Mirra Andreeva next.
Sabalenka said she rushed points and will adjust before Rome.

Summary

Madrid Quarterfinals Stream

The quarterfinal will stream on wtatv.com PPV and on Bet365 for funded accounts, and air on the Tennis Channel in Spain and the United States.
The tournament offers a €8,235,540 purse, a $1 million champion award, and expects more than 10,000 spectators for the afternoon session.
The Manolo Santana court has a retractable roof.
Madrid’s altitude makes the clay play slightly faster than other venues, prompting players to adjust warm-up routines.

Summary

Sinner Demands Change

Jannik Sinner urged Madrid Open officials to change the schedule after matches, like Rafael Jódar’s, finished at 1:30 am.
He said 8 pm starts push matches past 1 am, leaving insufficient time for food and treatment.
Casper Ruud saved his title defence by overturning 0/11 break points to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-7, 7-6, 7-6.
Arthur Fils, Barcelona champion, advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Tomás Martín Etcheverry.

Summary

Sabalenka Targets 400

Aryna Sabalenka entered the Madrid Open quarterfinals with a 26-1 record, eyeing a fourth title.
She said she is six wins from her 400th victory, a milestone she hopes to reach in Madrid.
Naomi Osaka noted her new ranking lets her enter Rome as a seeded player for the first time.
Hailey Baptiste smashed her Wilson racquet after a match-point double-fault, while Sabalenka later dropped her Blade racket.

History

Historical Context

Serena Williams’ 2009 US Open comeback—saving two match points to beat Kim Clijsters—showed how high-pressure turnarounds can reshape tournament policy. The event, held in Arthur Ashe Stadium before 23,000 fans, featured a $2.5 million prize purse. Such dramatic rescues have spurred the WTA and organizers to revisit scheduling and prize-money structures for player welfare.

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Baptiste Upsets Sabalenka

Hailey Baptiste beat world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(6) at the Madrid Open on April 28, 2026.
Baptiste saved six match points—five on serve—in the third set, ending Sabalenka’s 15-match streak and giving Baptiste her first top-five win, a WTA 1000 semifinal and a ranking of No. 24.
She saved 11 of 17 break points and will meet No. 9 Mirra Andreeva next.
Sabalenka said she rushed points and will adjust before Rome.

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