"I was stressed the entire match" - Jabeur after win over Halep

A new Mutua Madrid Open champion is guaranteed after the last Top 10 player in the draw, No.8 seed Ons Jabeur, defeated the only past winner Simona Halep 6-3, 6-2 in the quarterfinals in 67 minutes.

The victory puts Jabeur into her second WTA 1000 semifinal following Indian Wells 2021, and her second semifinal in her past three tournaments after reaching the Charleston final a month ago. She said:

"To be honest with you, I was really stressed the whole match, knowing Simona, knowing that she can come back at every time. But I knew I had to win this game [at 3-2] no matter what. I know I made like a lot of dropshots in this game. But it was a crazy point, especially at 40-30 where I could finish the point, but I didn't know if I took the risk and miss it or what should I do?"

"I felt like she played really well, and I'm impressed with the fact I didn't focus on that point, because if I really was frustrated, I could have lost the game. But happy that I kept it cool and won that game, because it was, I think, the game of the set."

She will face Ekaterina Alexandrova in the semifinal.