Baptiste Saves Six Match Points to Upset Sabalenka in Madrid

By Erik Gudris | Thursday, April 28, 2026
Photo credit: Mutua Madrid Facebook Open Facebook

Hailey Baptiste announced herself on one of the biggest stages in tennis.

The 24-year-old American earned the biggest win of her career by upsetting World No. 1 and defending Madrid Open champion Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(6) to reach the Madrid Open semifinals.

The 30th-seeded Baptiste saved six match points en route to the biggest win of her career. Baptiste joins Elena Rybakina, who toppled Sabalenka in the Australian Open final, as just the second woman to beat the Belarusian this year.

Sunshine Double champion Sabalenka saw her 15-match winning streak snapped and her quest to become the first woman to win four Mutua Madrid Open championships denied.

Sabalenka defeated Baptiste earlier in the year in Miami 6-4, 6-4, yet Baptiste said she learned a lot from that match that helped her today.

A dynamic Baptiste saved two of the six match points by boldly serving-and-volleying on second serves to earn her fourth career Top 10 victory.

“I played her a few weeks ago, and it was kind of a close match,” Baptiste said later in her post match press conference. “I just got broken once in each set. So I had a better idea of how to play her, and how I should play, adjustments I needed to make. 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.”

The victory vaults Baptiste to a new career-high ranking of No. 24. Baptiste will face No. 9 seed Mirra Andreeva in the semifinals. Earlier, Andreeva defeated Leylah Fernandez 7-6(1), 6-3.