Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka saw her 15-match win streak—and Mutua Madrid Open title defense—come to a shocking halt Tuesday at the hands of a resilient Hailey Baptiste.
The No. 30 seed pulled off a stirring comeback, saving six match points in her 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6) victory inside Manolo Santana Stadium.
Five of Sabalenka’s match points were held with Baptiste serving at 4-5 in the third set. The Belarusian’s sixth opportunity came on her own racquet at 6-5 in the tie-break, where she just missed her backhand up the line wide.
For Baptiste, it marked her first Top 10 win since ousting Jasmine Paolini at this very event 12 months earlier. Her previous highest-ranked takedown was No. 8 Elina Svitolina last month at the Miami Open.
The Washington native extended her best career run at a WTA 1000 event. Ninth-seeded Mirra Andreeva awaits in the semifinals.
More to come on this developing story