World No. 1 Iga Swiatek recovered from the opening set defeat to beat 11th-seeded Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 and advance to the semi-finals of the Madrid Open.
Swiatek, hoping for her third title this year, took a 3-1 lead in the first set, but Haddad Maia recovered twice and saved three break points in between, making it 4-4 and winning the first set.
That was the first set the Pole had lost in the tournament, but she responded with vigor, completing a bagel in the second set in which the Brazilian failed to force a single break point and Swiatek won two service games to win.
Swiatek continued in the same vein in the deciding set, breaking out to a 2-0 lead at the first opportunity, and although Haddad Maia hit back immediately, the top seed won four of the next five games to complete her comeback.
After losing the first meeting in 2022, Swiatek has now won the last three games against the Brazilian.
Swiatek, who won titles in Indian Wells and the 2024 Qatar Open, will compete Madison Keys in the semifinals on Thursday after the No. 18 seed defeated Tunisian Ons Jabeur 0-6, 7-5, 6-1.
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Highlights of the Madison Keys’ victory over Ons Jabeur in Madrid
The 2022 champion and number eight seed appeared to be heading for an easy victory, winning the first set in just 24 minutes.
But in the second round, the American world number 20 fought back and forced a decisive set in which she managed two breaks to reach the semi-finals in Madrid for the first time.
The final two quarterfinals take place on Wednesday, with fourth seed Elena Rybakina taking on fellow Kazakh Yulia Putinsteva and second seed Aryna Sabalenka – seeking her third Madrid Open title in four years – taking on Mirra Andreeva.
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