World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka outgunned four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in a lung-busting Mutua Madrid Open thriller on Monday.
Sabalenka, a three-time champion in Madrid, reached her fifth quarter-final in Madrid, and a 15th consecutive victory.
The Belarusian recorded a 6-7 (1-7) 6-3 6-2 success against former world No 1 Osaka in an entertaining encounter.
“That was an incredible level,” admitted Sabalenka. “She played really incredible tennis and I feel like I just got lucky with a couple of shots in the third set which is why is kind of felt it went really fast, but overall it was a really incredible fight.
“I’m happy that she brought her fight. I had to fight through and level up my game. I’m happy with my performance.”
On Osaka, Sabalenka added: “She’s such an inspiration and coming back from pregnancy in a sport like tennis, it’s not easy!
“To see her back, for sure she’s going to be top 10. It’s incredible, it’s inspiring. She gives all of us hope that you can go and have a baby, come back, and still play that level of tennis.”
Speaking on Sky Sports Tennis, Naomi Broady said it was her “favourite match” of the tournament so far.
“Sabalenka’s ability to sustain the level of intensity is second to none. That loss is going to sting Osaka, but maybe in a few days time she should take a lot of confidence from this match because Sabalenka is far and away the best player in women’s tennis right now and Osaka was right in that.
“It kind of felt Osaka lost belief at the backend of that third set but up until that point she was as good as Sabalenka. It just feels we’re starting to see the old Naomi Osaka.”
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Hailey Baptiste was furious after producing back-to-back double faults during a tie-break against Belinda Bencic at the Madrid Open
Hailey Baptiste vented her frustration despite a huge win over Belinda Bencic to reach the quarter-finals.
The 30th seed raced through the opening set 6-1, before Bencic edged a marathon tiebreak 7-6 (16-14) to level the match.
Baptiste responded strongly, sealing the decider 6-3 and set up a mouth-watering encounter against Sabalenka.
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Highlights of the match between Baptiste and Bencic
Tennis has a new problem
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Highlights of the Madrid Open match between Rafael Jodar and Joao Fonseca
Home hero Rafael Jodar defeated Joao Fonseca to become the eighth teenager to reach the last 16 in Madrid tournament history – a list that includes Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal.
In a battle of the 19-year-old’s Jodar overcame the 27th seed 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 6-1 in the highly anticipated third-round clash featuring the only teenagers inside the top 100.
“A very tough match,” said Jodar. “Joao is always a very tough player, so these matches are decided by very small details and various small points. I think I did a great job in those points, trying to play my game.”
Speaking on the Tennis Channel, two-time French Open champion Jim Courier said: “I like the simplicity of just having the dad in the box. No fuss. He’s coming out and laying it down. Upping some big serves and his forehand speed was huge in that opening set.
“Tennis keeps throwing some goodness at us in the absence of the ‘Big Four’ and Venus and Serena past their primes.
“This is spectacular. We have new names coming through that are exciting.”
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