Madrid Open: Lucky loser Anastasia Potapova +18 in WTA Rankings after win over Karolina Pliskova (+68)
Anastasia Potapova’s incredible run at the Madrid Open continues as she has become the first lucky loser to reach the semi-final of a WTA 1000 event after beating former world No 1 Karolina Pliskova.
The Austrian didn’t make the cutoff for a direct entry into the main draw in the Spanish capital and entered the qualifying competition only to fall at the last hurdle, but she then gained last-gasp entry when Madison Keys withdrew shortly before her second-round match.
Potapova defeated Zhang Shuai and Jelena Ostapenko to reach the fourth round before upsetting world No 2 Elena Rybakina to secure a quarter-final spot against Pliskova.
Czech Pliskova herself had enjoyed a decent run as she used her protected ranking to enter as she started the tournament at No 197 in the WTA Rankings following several injury layoffs.
After beating Sinja Kraus, Pliskova then got the better of 33rd seed Maria Sakkari, 19th seed Elise Mertens and the unseeded Solana Sierra.
The quarter-final match-up between Potapova and Pliskova turned into an entertaining affair as it went to three sets with the Czech saving three match points in the second set before the Austrian won 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3.
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“Not for any money or anything. That’s what makes our sport so beautiful,” Potapova said. “I was given a second chance and now I’m here, I’m speechless, I’m super happy and, well, there is nothing better that could happen with me in my life at the moment.”
She admitted that she lost her way, but the arrival of her boyfriend, fellow tennis star Tallon Griekspoor, gave her a shot in the arm.
“To be honest, I was a little bit gone mentally in the third set,” she explained. “I didn’t believe in myself at that moment. But – this is the first time I’m gonna say it – big respect to my boyfriend who came just on time. He saved me just on time.”
Potapova will face 26th seed Marta Kostyuk for a place in the final after the Ukrainian beat 13th seed Linda Noskova in straight sets, while the winner will go on to face either Hailey Baptiste or Mirra Andreeva in the final.
WTA Rankings
Potapova started the WTA 1000 tournament at No 56, but her run to the semi-final has resulted in an 18-place jump to No 38 in the Live Rankings while she could rise to No 27 if she reaches the final.
The former world No 21 has had an excellent couple of months as she was on the verge of exiting the top 100 in March as she had slipped to No 97, but then finished runner-up to Mirra Andreeva at the Linz Open to climb up to No 56.
Pliskova, meanwhile, started the year outside the top 1000 and played only 10 top-level matches before the Madrid Open, winning six to return to the top 200.
Her four wins in the Spanish capital have earned her a 68-place surge to No 129.
