Hailey Baptiste produced a stunning upset on Thursday, saving six match points to defeat world number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open. The 30th seed prevailed 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) in a thrilling two-and-a-half-hour contest, snapping Sabalenka's 15-match winning streak.
Baptiste becomes just the second player this season to beat the Belarusian, following Elena Rybakina's victory in the Australian Open final. The 24-year-old American struggled early, losing the first set, but turned the match around by converting three of four break points in the second set.
In the deciding set, Baptiste trailed 5-4 and faced five match points, but she saved each one with aggressive play before breaking Sabalenka to earn a chance to serve for the match. However, Sabalenka broke back and later held a sixth match point at 6-5 in the tie-break. Undeterred, Baptiste won three straight points to seal the biggest win of her career.
"I played her a few weeks ago in Miami and it was a close match," Baptiste said. "I had a better idea of how to play her and adjustments I needed to make. It was an uncomfortable situation for her, me serving and volleying, hitting a drop shot in one of the match points. It's not the easiest position to put her in, which is the plan."
Sabalenka acknowledged Baptiste's bravery: "She played really brave tennis on those match points. In the first game of the second set, I double faulted twice out of nowhere. That gave her belief. She started playing aggressively. What can I say? Well done."
Baptiste will next face world number nine Mirra Andreeva, who defeated Canada's Leylah Fernandez in straight sets, for a spot in the final.