Hailey Baptiste produced the biggest win of her career on Tuesday, stunning world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(6) in 2 hours and 30 minutes to reach the Madrid Open 2026 semifinals.
And she had to survive six match points to do it.
The 24-year-old US star had a slow start as Sabalenka took the opening set. However, the match shifted when Baptiste started mixing in more variety — using drop shots, net approaches, and changes of pace to pull Sabalenka out of rhythm.
By the third set, it had become a back-and-forth battle.
Serving to survive multiple times, Baptiste continued to respond. At 6-5 in the deciding tiebreak, she erased another match point. She later won the next three points and converted her lone match point to complete the Sabalenka upset.
"I wouldn't say that I'm necessarily working on hitting balls outside the alley," Baptiste said postmatch. "But 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."
That type of improvisation helped change the match.
The lost ended Sabalenka's 15-match winning streak while marking Baptiste's first career victory over a top-ranked WTA opponent. It also sends Baptiste into the first WTA 1000 semifinal of her career.
Baptiste is coming off a promising season start. She managed to push Sabalenka at the 2026 Miami Open before ultimately losing, saying that previous match helped shape her approach this time.
"I had a better idea of how to play her, and how I should play," Baptiste said in Madrid. "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.”
How to Watch Hailey Baptiste at the Madrid Open 2026 Semifinals
Now Baptiste moves on to face another Top 10 opponent: Mirra Andreeva.
The Madrid Open semifinals kick off on Thursday at 10 AM ET, live on The Tennis Channel.
