Hailey Baptiste saves six match points to stun Aryna Sabalenka at Madrid Open

Hailey Baptiste produced a sensational upset at the Madrid Open, saving six match points to defeat world number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in a dramatic quarter-final encounter on Tuesday.

The 30th seed fought back from a set down to win 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) in just over two and a half hours, ending Sabalenka’s 15-match winning streak in the process.

It marks only the second defeat for the Belarusian this season, following Elena Rybakina’s victory in the Australian Open final.

Baptiste, 24, revealed that a recent meeting in Miami had helped shape her tactical approach.

She credited her ability to adapt and execute a more aggressive game plan, including frequent serve-and-volley play and well-timed drop shots, which disrupted Sabalenka’s rhythm at crucial moments.

After losing the opening set, the American responded strongly in the second, converting three of her four break-point opportunities to level the match. The deciding set proved a tense affair, with Baptiste facing elimination while trailing 5-4.

She remarkably saved five match points in that game alone, showing composure under immense pressure.

Although Sabalenka broke back to force a tie-break and later earned a sixth match point at 6-5, Baptiste held firm.

She won three consecutive points in the tie-break to seal the biggest victory of her career and reach her first WTA 1000 semi-final.

She will now face world number nine Mirra Andreeva, who advanced after a straight-sets win over Canada’s Leylah Fernandez.

Sabalenka acknowledged Baptiste’s resilience, admitting that early double faults in the second set shifted momentum.

"She played really brave tennis on those match points," Sabalenka said.

"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."