Hailey Baptiste matches Williams’ WTA achievement after shock win over Sabalenka in Madrid

Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Hailey Baptiste has pulled off one of the year’s biggest surprises, taking down world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the Madrid Open quarter-finals.

Sabalenka, who came into the match on a 15-match winning streak and having completed the Sunshine Double just last month, had already taken care of business against No. 11 seed Mirra Andreeva in straight sets to book her place in the last eight.

Baptiste also faced an uphill battle to get here. She had to come from behind after losing her first set 1-6 against Elina Svitolina before rallying back to win in three sets. Just two days earlier, she’d beaten Caroline Garcia in a tough three-set match that ended with a final set tie-break.

Baptiste dropped that first set 2-6, but turned things around with a quick 6-2 win in the second. The final set was close all the way through before she finally clinched it on her sixth match point after a dramatic tie-break.

The Americans are having quite the tournament, as Madison Keys and Coco Gauff have also made deep runs in this year’s event.

Hailey Baptiste follows in Serena Williams’ footsteps at the Madrid Open

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images

According to statisticians OptaAce, Hailey Baptiste is only the second American to beat a world number one at the Madrid Open.

The first was none other than Serena Williams, who pulled off that feat back in 2012.

Williams was seeded ninth that year and defeated top-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 6-3 in the final.

Baptiste, appearing in her first semi-final, spoke with pride after the match when speaking to Tennis Channel

“Incredible. Super proud of myself,” she said. “It was super tight. 7-6 in the third. Had to fight off match points.