Madrid Open WTA Semi-Finals Round-up | Andreeva and Kostyuk continue fine clay seasons to set up final showdown

The WTA Madrid Open final has been confirmed. A wide-open field were left to fight it out for the spoils with most of the big guns already having fallen earlier on. In the end, only two can remain to compete for WTA 1000 glory, and they were Mirra Andreeva and Marta Kostyuk after two contrasting performances and displays.

Andreeva was the only top 10 player left in the tournament ahead of the semi-finals action. She still remains that sole figure after continuing her fine form on clay to record a third WTA 1000 final after defeating Hailey Baptiste 6-4, 7-6(8) in Madrid.

Aside from a dramatic ending, it was relatively simple for the 19-year-old, who diverted the Baptiste threat expertly. The American had utilised a lot of energy in her giant upset win over Aryna Sabalenka in three sets. At times she was floundering on court, but a second wind near the end almost got her back into the match.

For the first part, she was not getting near to Andreeva. In the first set, the Russian dropped inly two points on serve as she cruised to a commanding lead. There were its obstacles to clamber over. One of Baptiste’s shots looked to have gone past the baseline, but it was called ‘in.’ Andreeva had an argument with the umpire over the electric line calling but soon turned her attention back to tennis. She broke in the seventh game and had no trouble in seeing it out.

The match looked like a formality for a very composed Andreeva, keeping her emotions in check. She broke the Baptiste serve and went 4-2 ahead, eventually moving within one game of the match.

The first break point came on her opponents serve, but Baptiste fought back and tested Andreeva’s nerve as she attempted to serve it out. This backfired. Baptiste broke for the first time in the contest, and it prolonged to an eventual tiebreak.

Baptiste strode into an ominous 4-0 lead before shrugging off a comeback from her rival to create two set points. A third one later arose but all of these were not converted. Andreeva would seal the deal with her third match point, second in tiebreak, to wrap up what was a very good display on court.

Kostyuk can call herself a WTA 1000 finalist. She ends the unexpected run of Anastasia Potapova, defeating her 6-2, 1-6, 6-1 and continues her impressive form on clay, now unbeaten in all 10 matches on this surface in 2026.

Both players were in blistering form on the surface in 2026 having already reached WTA finals. While Potapova lost in Linz to Andreeva, Kostyuk got the job done in Rouen. She was certainly getting things done in Madrid. A fast start saw her sprint out into a 2-0 lead.

The duo would then feel annoyed as missed opportunities became the topic of the match. Both going 15-40 ahead in consecutive games, each time the other player responded by winning four points on the bounce to divert the danger. This played in the hands of Kostyuk more than Potapova who remained a break behind.

In desperate need of a break, she found herself 5-2 down in a perilous situation. It would get worse as Kostyuk stormed into a 0-40 lead. Three set points were not clinically taken, but a fourth was. She raced ahead, giving Potapova a mountain to climb.

The Austrian responded well, breaking as soon as the second set kicked off. Kostyuk failed to get back on level terms and was ruthlessly punished for this mistake. She fell a double break behind. This soon became a triple break as Potapova streaked further clear of her opponent who was not putting up the same level of performance. She did manage to prevent being bageled with a break to love but was unable to prevent the ravenous Potapova from forcing a third set.

Again, the momentum shifted the completely opposite way. Kostyuk sprinted into a 4-0 lead, seemingly breezing into the final. Potapova was running out of ideas and time. She had the chances to reduce the deficit to one break but failed to complete this task. Kostyuk got the win under her belt and secured a third WTA final of 2026, a first ever at this level. There were no hand shakes between the pair at the end amid Potapova formerly representing Russia.

Now up to 17th in the world in the WTA live rankings, she could reach a career high of 15th if she wins the title on Saturday.