From lucky loser to semi-finalist – Potapova’s Madrid dream continues
Potapova (world No 56) beat Pliskova 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3 from 1-3 down in the third, lost in qualifying a week ago, and is now in the semi-finals of a WTA 1000. Her boyfriend talked her through the third set from the stands. Madrid keeps giving her second chances. She keeps taking them.
Anastasia Potapova, Madrid 2026 | © Madrid Trophy Promotion
Anastasia Potapova, the Austrian lucky loser, reached her first WTA 1000 semi-final by beating Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3 on Wednesday at the Mutua Madrid Open, a result that few in world tennis could have foreseen when she lost in qualifying eight days ago.
The match was far from straightforward. Potapova led 6-1, 5-3 and held three match points in the second set on serve. She could not convert any of them. Pliskova, ranked No 197 and playing on a protected ranking, had already beaten Sinja Kraus, Maria Sakkari, Elise Mertens and – most impressively – clawed back through the tiebreak to send the match to a decider.
Potapova fell to 1-3 before steadying herself, helped by the voice of Dutch world No 25 Tallon Griekspoor from the stands. “Big respect to my boyfriend who came just in time. He saved me just in time,” she said on court. “He kept telling me: ‘You can do this. We’re all together here. Just keep going.’ In the third set it was most of his job to win this. I just played and mentally he just kept me there.”
Potapova: “A little explosion of emotions inside”
She won four consecutive games to close it out, and the emotion at the end told the story of the week. “It’s just a little explosion of emotions inside,” she said. “I was given a few match points in the second set on serve. I couldn’t manage my nerves at the time. I know it. But it seems like this tournament keeps giving me second chances and I keep using them.” She has now won nine of her last eleven matches.
The full picture of what Potapova has achieved this week requires a moment to absorb. She lost in the final qualifying round to Sinja Kraus. She entered the main draw only when Madison Keys withdrew with illness on Friday morning.
She beat Zhang Shuai in the second round, still warming up from three days without a match. She then eliminated Ostapenko in three sets, stunned world No 2 Elena Rybakina 7-6 (8), 6-4 – winning eleven of the last twelve points to close that match – and now Pliskova. Three of her four wins have come from behind. None has been clean. Every one has been earned.
Austrian citizen
Asked whether she would have believed a semi-final was possible when she lost in qualifying last week, she did not hesitate. “No. I wouldn’t. For any money and anything. But that’s what makes our sport beautiful. I was given a second chance and now I’m here. I’m speechless. There’s nothing better that could happen with me at the moment.”
Born in Saratov, Russia, Potapova obtained Austrian citizenship in December 2025 and has used her adopted country’s colours to produce the run of her life. She faces the winner of the match between Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, the No 26 seed, and Czech Linda Noskova, the No 13 seed, for a place in the final.
