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Andreeva celebrates early birthday present by reaching Madrid semis

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Mirra Andreeva celebrated an early birthday present as she reached the semi-finals of the Madrid Open with victory over Leylah Fernandez on Tuesday. 

Andreeva, who turns 19 on Wednesday, set up a final-four meeting with either Hailey Baptiste or defending champion Aryna Sabalenka with a 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 triumph. 

But the ninth seed was put under pressure in the first set and had to save four break points in her opening service game before Fernandez soon got the better of her serve. 

Fernandez raced into what looked like a commanding 4-1 lead, but Andreeva reeled off three straight games to level things up, with a tie-break deciding who would lead early.

And it was Andreeva who would lead going into the second set, though both players struggled on their own serve as four consecutive breaks followed in the Spanish capital. 

However, Andreeva was able to assume control and sealed her progression at the second time of asking with a backhand at the net that whistled past Fernandez. 

Data Debrief: Teenage kicks in Madrid

Andreeva showed signs of frustration during her round of 16 win over Anna Bondar, having let a 5-1 lead slip in the deciding set, but it was all smiles for the teenager this time around as she edged closer to a first Madrid Open crown. 

She is now into her fourth semi-final at WTA 1000 level or above, and first since winning Indian Wells 2025. Andreeva also moves into her fourth final-four clash of 2026 so far, and third in as many tournaments on clay.

And at 18 years and 358 days at the start of the event, Andreeva is the second-youngest semi-finalist in Madrid since the tournament's inception in 2009, older only than Caroline Wozniacki in 2009.