Hailey Baptiste Ends Aryna Sabalenka’s 15-Match Winning Streak at the Madrid Open

On Tuesday at the Madrid Open, 24-year-old American Hailey Baptiste defeated defending champion and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6). Baptiste saved six match points in the final set, securing her first victory over a top-five opponent and earning a place in her inaugural WTA 1000 semifinal.

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Sabalenka entered the tournament as the defending champion and carried a 15-match winning streak across all events. The Madrid Open had previously witnessed a similar comeback when Iga Swiatek saved match points to defeat Sabalenka in the 2024 final. Baptiste’s win therefore marks the first instance since that final of a player overturning Sabalenka from match point down.

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• Hailey Baptiste – American, age 24, world ranking 32.

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• Aryna Sabalenka – Belarusian, world No. 1, defending Madrid Open champion.

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• Mirra Andreeva – Russian, world ranking 8, Baptiste’s semifinal opponent.

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• Leylah Fernandez – Canadian, opponent defeated by Andreeva in the quarterfinals.

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• Final score: 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6).

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• Six match points saved by Baptiste in the third set.

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• First top-five win for Baptiste.

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• First WTA 1000 semifinal appearance for Baptiste.

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Baptiste’s victory halted Sabalenka’s 15-match streak and ended her run as defending champion. The result underscores Baptiste’s emergence as a competitive force on the WTA tour, highlighting her resilience under extreme pressure. It also reinforces the rarity of overturning Sabalenka from match point down, a feat previously achieved only by Swiatek in Madrid.

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Sabalenka described the contest as challenging, acknowledging both players’ strong performance. She noted that she created opportunities in the third set but felt she was “maybe a little bit rushing the point.” Sabalenka indicated that she will reflect on the loss, stating that she must “learn, take the bad stuff from this week and move on.”

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> “It was a tough match. She played great,” Sabalenka said. “I played great. 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 OK, sometimes I guess you have to learn, take the bad stuff from this week and move on.” — Aryna Sabalenka, World No. 1

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Baptiste’s semifinal opponent will be world No. 8 Mirra Andreeva, who advanced after a straight-sets victory over Leylah Fernandez. The semifinal will determine which player joins the final, potentially setting up a first-time WTA 1000 champion.

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