The semifinal match of the 2026 Madrid Open was set up to be a slightly odd one between Mirra Andreeva and Hailey Baptiste. Andreeva has seemingly been pounding on the door of being a consistent top-5 presence on the WTA tour for a while, but she only just turned 19 years old. Baptiste feels somewhat new but is 24.
The styles of the two players are different, too. Andreeva has solid power, but not the kind Baptiste has (nor that of Aryna Sabalenka), but what the Russian can do is dictate points with her precise shot-making. This she did to the American when it mattered most in the first set.
After players traded holds through the first six games, Andreeva was able to get a break after getting to deuce three times to lead 4-3. The Russian then consolidated the break by holding at love.
Mirra Andreeva overcomes Hailey Baptiste to reach final of Madrid Open
While Baptiste has a faster first serve, Andreeva is more consistent in landing hers where she wants. In the opening set, when she landed her first serve, she didn't lose a point. She kept the American on the defensive, and the Russian would often finish points with wicked backhands down the line.
Often, Baptiste would overhit the ball when keeping the point alive would have been the smarter move. Andreeva, meanwhile, would often block-return Baptiste's serve, knowing by keeping the point alive she might have the advantage. She had won twice at many points when rallies went five shots or more early in the second set.
In the second set, Andreeva got a break a couple of games earlier than in the first set. Leading 3-2 and winning games with ease on her serve, the outcome of the match was seemingly no longer in doubt. Serving at 5-4, though, the most unexpected part of the match occurred. After serving with ease, Andreeva was broken to even the set at 5-all.
The set ended in a tie-break, and Baptiste jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but she couldn't hold it. Andreeva finished the match by taking the tie-break 10-8.
Even in the loss, Hailey Baptiste was a winner in Madrid. She moved up to No. 25 in the WTA live rankings, a career high. She also likely gained confidence ahead of the French Open by defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals.
Mirra Andreeva will next face the winner of the Marta Kostyuk and Anastasia Potapova match in the final. The Russian will be the heavy favorite to win her third career Masters 1000 event after winning the Dubai Championships and Indian Wells in 2025. She is likely on her way to reaching the top five once again.
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