Sabalenka ends Andreeva's Madrid run to reach semifinals

Twelve months ago, Aryna Sabalenka

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On Wednesday, the No. 2 seed repeated the result in the quarterfinals -- this time, 6-1, 6-4 -- against a 17-year-old Andreeva to extend her winning streak at the Caja Mágica to 10 straight matches. Sabalenka advanced to the semifinals for a third time. She is bidding to be the second woman to win three Madrid titles after Petra Kvitova. Sabalenka will face No.4 seed Elena Rybakina

View Profile in the semifinals in their ninth career meeting -- but first on clay. 

Sabalenka didn't face a break point throughout the 1-hour and 19-minute match under a closed roof on Manolo Santana Stadium, and a run of games in each set helped her to take command of the match. It was Sabalenka's first straight-sets win in her title defense so far. 

"I'm super happy with the level I played today, and with this win," Sabalenka said afterward. "She's an incredible player even though she's super young. Conditions suit me well, and hopefully, I can just keep going the way that I'm going."

In the opening set, Sabalenka won five straight and three more in a row from 2-1 down in the second set gave her a set and a break lead. But Andreeva put pressure on in the last three games -- she had 15-30 on Sabalenka's serve in the eighth game, saved two match points in the ninth, and clawed to 30-30 from 30-0 down in the 10th. 

But a break point never came. Sabalenka's second ace of the match gave her a third match point, and she wrapped up victory when Andreeva's final ball floated long, as the teenager was unable to fully absorb the pace of the No. 2 seed's previous forehand in the rally. 

In all, Sabalenka struck 35 winners to 13 unforced errors -- more than double Andreeva's total of 14 winners. She lost just 14 points in nine service games. 

Ahead 5-3 in the overall head-to-head against Rybakina, Sabalenka will look to even their 2024 ledger in Friday's semifinals, having lost to the Kazakh 6-3, 6-0 in January's final in Brisbane. 

"It's never easy if you get to the semifinals. Elena, we've had so many great battles," Sabalenka added. "It's going to be a tough challenge for me, but I'm happy to accept this challenge, and I'll do my best to get this win and hopefully. I'm going to bring my best tennis."