Sabalenka’s late breaks end Baptiste’s Miami quarterfinal run

Aryna Sabalenka defeated Hailey Baptiste 6–4, 6–4 to reach a second consecutive Miami Open semifinal. The eighty-minute quarterfinal was their first professional meeting, with the American challenging the world number one before decisive late breaks settled both sets.

Sabalenka saved three break points in the opening set and capitalised when Baptiste served at 4–5. In the second, Baptiste recovered a break to draw level at 4–4, but the defending champion held and again broke in the final game.

The victory kept Sabalenka’s Miami campaign free of dropped sets and set up another meeting with Elena Rybakina. It also improved her previous fifty-two-week record against opponents ranked outside the top thirty to thirty-two wins from thirty-three matches.