Madrid, May 1, 2026 Potapova loses Madrid semifinal to Kostyuk
Anastasia Potapova’s breakthrough run at the Madrid WTA-1000 tournament ended in the semifinals after a hard-fought battle against Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk.
Match Breakdown
Potapova, ranked 23rd in the world, struggled with her serve early in the match, allowing Kostyuk to seize a 2-0 lead. Despite saving three set points at 0-40 in the first set, the Russian couldn’t hold off Kostyuk’s relentless pressure and dropped the opener 2-6.
The second set saw Potapova rally to take it 6-1, but her momentum faltered in the decider. A series of unforced errors led to a quick 0-4 deficit, and though she briefly fought back, she squandered three break opportunities at 1-4. The match ended after 1 hour and 36 minutes when Potapova double-faulted on Kostyuk’s first match point.
Kostyuk’s Triumph
Kostyuk, ranked 26th, credited her mental resilience for the victory. "Das Match im vergangenen Jahr war ganz anders, sie spielt jetzt ganz anders," she said, reflecting on Potapova’s improved game. "Ich bin immer bei mir geblieben, das war der Schlüssel für den Sieg, ich bin unglaublich glücklich, dass ich den Turnaround geschafft habe."
The win marks Kostyuk’s first WTA-1000 final appearance, where she will face Russia’s Mirra Andrejeva, who defeated American Hailey Baptiste 6-4, 7-6(8). Kostyuk, who recently won a 250-level title in Rouen, is projected to rise to at least No. 17 in next week’s rankings.