Six Match Points Saved! Hailey Baptiste Stuns World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka At Madrid Open

Last Updated:April 29, 2026, 08:40 IST

Hailey Baptiste saves six match points to stun World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in Madrid, sealing a dramatic comeback win and reaching her first WTA 1000 semifinal.

A day can change everything.

A mere 24 hours ago, Hailey Baptiste was fuming on court, smashing her racket to smithereens after a lost tiebreak.

Now, she’s just usurped Aryna Sabalenka.

The 24-year-old American pulled off a stunning comeback win over the World No. 1 Belarusian, saving six match points to clinch a 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6) victory in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Baptiste’s Marathon Win

It wasn’t straightforward for Hailey.

The match stretched over two and a half hours, with Baptiste grinding through one of the toughest tests of her career to secure her first win over a top-five opponent.

The defining moment came in the third set for Hailey. When serving at 4-5, with Baptiste facing two match points at 40-15, the American responded with an ace, then forced an error to stay alive.

Sabalenka kept pushing, earning three more match points during a tense, extended game. But Baptiste held firm, saving all five in that single stretch.

In the tiebreak, Sabalenka edged ahead 6-5 for a sixth match point. Once again, Baptiste responded, saving it before reeling off the next two points to seal the upset.

Ending A Streak

The win snapped Sabalenka’s 15-match winning streak in Madrid and handed the three-time champion just her second loss of the season.

It also marked the first time Sabalenka has lost a match from match points up since Iga Swiatek did it in the 2024 Madrid final.

For Baptiste, it’s a breakthrough moment and a taste of revenge. She had reached the quarterfinals of the Miami Open last month, where she serendipitously lost to Sabalenka.

What’s Next

Baptiste now moves into her first WTA 1000 semifinal, where she will face Mirra Andreeva, the ninth-seeded Russian who booked her spot with a 7-6 (1), 6-3 win over Leylah Fernandez.

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