Madrid: United States player and World No. 30 Hailey Baptiste pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the ongoing Madrid Open 2026, defeating top seed Aryna Sabalenka in a dramatic three-set women’s quarter-final clash on Tuesday, according to Olympics.com.
Baptiste edged past Sabalenka 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) in a match that lasted two hours and 30 minutes at the Caja Magica, overcoming six match points and staging a remarkable comeback after losing the opening set comfortably.
Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, started strongly and took the first set 6-2 with aggressive baseline play, breaking Baptiste twice. The Belarusian looked in control as she pushed for a straight-sets win. However, Baptiste shifted momentum in the second set, breaking Sabalenka three times to level the contest 6-2 and force a decider.
The third set turned into a gripping battle, with Sabalenka earning five match points at 5-4, but Baptiste held firm under pressure. The American stayed resilient through extended rallies and crucial break points to push the match into a tie-break.
In the tie-break, Sabalenka again reached match point at 6-5, but Baptiste responded with three consecutive points to complete a stunning comeback victory, handing the world No. 1 her first defeat in 16 matches.
After sealing the win, Baptiste acknowledged the crowd with a slight grin and a roar of celebration, marking a breakthrough moment in her career. It was also her first win against a top-five-seeded player in a women’s singles match. She will also play in a WTA 1000 semifinal for the first time.
“In the beginning it was a little difficult for me to find the ball and get comfortable,” Baptiste told the Tennis Channel in an interview after the match as quoted by Olympics.com. “But once I did, I was able to execute the game plan really well. And she (Sabalenka) just was unhappy.”
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