Tennis fans that did not know who Hailey Baptiste is now do.
Baptiste, the 24-year-old Washington, DC native, saved six match points against World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and handed her just the second loss of her 2026 season. The previous loss was to Elena Rybakina at the Australian Open.
Baptiste earned the win with her head, heart, and guts. Her body language was always positive. Even when things did not go her way, she keep plugging away and upset Sabalenka in just their second career meeting. Sabalenka beat her in straight sets in this year’s Miami Open quarterfinals.
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Baptiste is in good company. Sabalenka is practically impossible to beat yet four other American women have done it at big moments in the past 16 months. Madison Keys won the 2025 Australian Open. Coco Gauff won the 2025 French Open. Amanda Anisimova defeated Sabaelnka in the 2025 Wimbledon semifinal. Jessica Pegula defeated her in the 2025 Wuhan semifinals.
Keys, Gauff, Anisimova, and Pegula are Top 10 players. If Baptiste keeps up this 2026 level of play, she will soon join them there.
Baptiste outdid her American compatriots by saving six match points against Sabalenka. In the WTA live rankings, she is 24th. Baptiste was 88th last year at this time.
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Baptiste will play Mirra Andreeva in the semifinals. Andreeva won their only previous meeting in straight sets at Wimbledon last year.
Baptiste is seeking her maiden WTA title on one of the biggest stages, at a WTA 1000 tournament on the European clay.
Serena Williams was the last American woman singles champion in Madrid in 2013.