Andreeva Fends Off Fernandez for Maiden Madrid Semifinal
By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Photo credit: Mutua Madrid Open Facebook
Party planner Mirra Andreeva has exciting expectations for her 19th birthday tomorrow.
Today, Andreeva celebrated the art of the comeback to charge into her maiden Mutua Madrid Open semifinal.
Andreeva fought off three set points in the opening set sparking a 7-6(1), 6-3 victory over Leylah Fernandez in today’s Madrid quarterfinals.
The ninth-seeded Andreeva is the second-youngest Madrid semifinals in history—only Caroline Wozniacki was younger when reaching the final four back in 2009.
Staring down a 1-4 deficit to 2021 US Open finalist Fernandez today, Andreeva accelerated the pace of her forehand, competed with more energy and found the Canadian’s two-handed backhand on pivotal points.
Continuing her hunt for her third title of the season, Andreeva raised her 2026 record to 25-7, including 11-1 on clay. Andreeva will play either world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka or 30th-seeded American Hailey Baptiste for a spot in the Madrid final.
Credit quarterfinal debutant Fernandez for ripping returns and robbing Andreeva of reaction time at the outset of this match. Fernandez backed up the break at 30 to extend her lead to 4-1.
Andreeva broke back for 3-4 and was leading 15-Love in the eighth game when a fan fell ill in Manolo Santana Stadium prompting the chair umpire to halt play and call for medical attention for the fan.
After about a five-minute delay, play resumed with an assertive Fernandez earning double break point.
Amping up the pace of her drives, Andreeva erased both break points, hammering a heavy forehand drive volley on the second, then used an ace down the T to help her hold for 4-all.
Pouncing on mid-court balls, Fernandez banged a backhand winner holding for 5-4 after 42 minutes.
Deadlocked after 10 games, Fernandez dug out of triple break point—then belted a backhand winner to save a fourth break point—before whipping a forehand winner to cap a hard-fought hold for 6-5.
Facing a double-set point crisis on serve, Andreeva played aggressively to save both only to double fault and face a third set point.
In a 10-shot rally, Fernandez sent a backhand long as Andreeva erased a third set point. Fernandez misfired on three backhands in a row as Andreeva stood tall amid severe stress to force the tiebreaker.
Swinging more freely than she had the entire set, Andreeva lit it up firing five winners in the first seven points of the tiebreaker in surging to a 6-1 lead.
A sharp forehand return winner down the line followed by a backhand pass crosscourt highlighted Andreeva’s flow of winners.
On her first set point, Andreeva closed the set in 68 minutes when Fernandez misfired on a forehand wide.
The Canadian left-hander hit some high, heavy topspin forehands to back Andreeva up behind the baseline and provoke errors. Fernandez broke to start the second set.
An ornery Andreeva was barking at her box and coach Conchita Martinez as she dropped serve again to fall behind 1-2.
Channeling that angst into action, Andreeva reeled off eight points in a row to turn the deficit into a 3-2 lead and take charge. Andreeva broke again for 5-3 and sealed her 25th victory on her second match point.
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