Hailey Baptiste Downs Aryna Sabalenka in Madrid Thriller
Locker Room
April 29, 2026
Hailey Baptiste saved a stunning six match points to take down world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
How do you celebrate such a dramatic victory over the most ferocious player in tennis? She didn’t seem to know.
The American smiled calmly before she let out a terrific roar in Madrid. Then she received a brief but sporting embrace from her volatile opponent.
Hailey Baptiste will join the USA’s wealth of talent at Wimbledon 2026, too. She’s a fighter and she’s likeable – another rising star to watch closely.
Not that the 24-year-old is exactly new to the scene. But this is the first time she has beaten a top five player.
It’s all coming together at last. And now Hailey has Mirra Andreeva in her sights in the semi-finals.
She beamed: ‘It just shows me where my game lies. I’ve always believed it. Now I’m starting to put it into action. And the world is seeing it as well.’
The world will want more of this young lady if she keeps defying the seemingly inevitable in such dramatic style.
Five match points saved in the unforgettable tenth game of the final set in her 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) victory over Sabalenka.
Hailey took advantage of the Russian’s frustration to break immediately and serve for the match – but she couldn’t close out.
Cue more match point drama in the epic breaker as the American showed her adversary how it was done.
Not that she has been quite so ruthless all tournament, as she acknowledged with an endearing laugh.
She had needed six match points of her own last time out, before finally. beating Belinda Bencic
Baptiste explained: ‘I definitely had a lot of nerves. I had 28 chances [in my last match] and didn’t get it done.
‘I told my team: “When I get match point today I’m gonna win the first one I get.” And I did it!’
Hailey Baptiste is a bubbly character who could become yet another reason for Americans to flock to Wimbledon 2026.
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