Andreeva grits through tough Fernandez test to make Madrid semis

Mirra Andreeva keeps building on her early success at the Mutua Madrid Open.

Three years ago, she caught the tennis world's attention with a breakout run to the fourth round in the week she turned 16. She backed that up with back-to-back quarterfinal showings in 2024 and 2025. And now, on her last day as an 18-year-old, the No. 9 seed is into her first semifinal after defeating No. 24 seed Leylah Fernandez 7-6(1), 6-3, saving three set points in the first set.

Madrid: Scores | Draws | Order of play

Fernandez had been Andreeva's first career tour-level win back at the start of that 2023 run, and repeating that result improved Andreeva's record against the Canadian to 2-1. The teenager advances to her fourth semifinal at WTA 1000 level or above, and first since winning Indian Wells 2025. She also moves into her fourth semifinal of 2026 so far, and third in as many tournaments on clay.

Andreeva will next face either No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka -- her conqueror in Madrid in both 2023 and 2024 -- or No. 30 seed Hailey Baptiste, whom she defeated in straight sets in their only previous meeting at Wimbledon last year.

More to come...

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