Aryna Sabalenka equals Serena Williams’ Madrid Open feat after beating Mirra Andreeva

Aryna Sabalanka defeated 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva  6-1, 6-4 at the Madrid Open quarterfinals in 1 hour and 19 minutes at the Caja Magica on Wednesday. 

This year’s quarterfinal was a rematch of last year's fourth-round match en route to the No. 2 seed winning the title. 

Sabalenka won the 2023 encounter 6-3, 6-1 but Andreeva claimed one game more than she managed in the pair's previous meeting at the WTA 1000 event.  

"I'm super happy with the level I played today, and with this win," Sabalenka said afterwards. "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."

Wednesday’s win means the two-time champion in Madrid has made her third semi-final at the WTA event, matching the retired Serena Williams, who did likewise in 2012, 2013 and 2015, winning the title in consecutive years. 

Sabalenka's latest triumph was a 10th in a row in Madrid, five shy of Simona Halep's 15 and Williams (19) for consecutive victories at the WTA event. 

The No. 2 seed faces Elena Rybakina in the semi-finals, keen to improve her 5-3 head-to-head advantage over the Kazakh as she seeks a third Madrid title to add to her 2021 and 2023 wins. 

"It's never easy if you get to the semifinals. Elena, we've had so many great battles," added the 25-year-old. "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."