Sabalenka, Swiatek, and Svitolina Advance to Madrid Open Semifinals

Posted : 01 May 2025

Aryna Sabalenka battled through a tough match and difficult weather to defeat Marta Kostyuk 7-6(7/4), 7-6(9/7) and secure a place in the Madrid Open semifinals for the fourth time. The Belarusian, who was runner-up last year, needed 84 minutes to claim the first set before enduring a rain delay during the second set tiebreak.

Despite Kostyuk saving a match point and forcing the breaker, Sabalenka regrouped after the short pause to seal the win, maintaining her perfect record against the Ukrainian.

Speaking after the match, Sabalenka acknowledged the emotional intensity, crediting her mental resilience in the face of cold, breezy conditions and the stop-start nature of the contest.

She admitted the match was more about managing emotions than tennis itself, especially after committing 48 unforced errors. The world number one now sets her sights on a semifinal clash with Elina Svitolina, who has been dominant on clay this season.

Svitolina extended her winning streak to 11 matches by dismantling Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima 6-2, 6-1 in just 52 minutes. The Ukrainian, who recently claimed a title in Rouen, has now won 22 consecutive sets on clay and becomes the first woman from her country to reach the semifinals in Madrid. Off court, the 30-year-old balances motherhood and leadership of a foundation that supports Ukrainian tennis, drawing strength from her war-torn homeland.

Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek mounted a spirited comeback to defeat Madison Keys 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 and avenge her Australian Open loss. After being bageled in the first set, Swiatek reduced her unforced errors and found her rhythm to reach the Madrid semifinals for the third consecutive year. She will now face Coco Gauff in a much-anticipated clash of top-tier players.

Gauff earned her spot in the last four by beating 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-1, saving two set points in the opening frame before cruising through the second. It marks the American's first semifinal of the year outside of the United Cup. Reflecting on her performance, the fourth seed gave herself high marks for composure and execution under pressure.

In the men’s draw, Matteo Arnaldi continued his impressive run by ousting Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 7-5, securing back-to-back top-20 wins for the first time. The Italian will next face Jack Draper, who swept past Tommy Paul 6-2, 6-2 to reach his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal on clay. Canadian Gabriel Diallo also made headlines, saving three match points to stun Grigor Dimitrov 5-7, 7-6(9/7), 6-4 for the biggest victory of his career.

Sabalenka, Swiatek, and Svitolina Advance to Madrid Open Semifinals

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