Anastasia Potapova's dream run at the Madrid Open continued as she defeated Karolina Pliskova over three sets to reach the semi-finals of the competition. 

Potapova, who beat second seed Elena Rybakina on her way to the last eight, went one step further to an unlikely triumph in the Spanish capital with a 6-1 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 victory. 

With her win, Potapova became the first lucky loser to reach the semi-final at a Tier 1/WTA-1000 event since the Tier format's introduction in 1990. 

She awaits the winner of Marta Kostyuk's match with Linda Noskova later on Wednesday, with the latter being the second-highest seed (13) left in a tournament full of upsets. 

Potapova wasted little time settling into her rhythm, reeling off the opening five games of the first set against the former world number one before taking the early lead on serve.

However, Pliskova responded brilliantly as the pair traded blows in a tight second set, though it was Potapova who got the better of her opponent's serve in the seventh game.

At 5-3 up, Potapova served to reach the final four but squandered both match-point opportunities, and Pliskova made the most of that reprieve to force a tie-break.

Pliskova carried on her momentum and ensured the match would go the distance, and she started strongly in the decider as she broke Potapova in the opening game. 

But Potapova remained composed despite going 3-1 down, winning the final five games in a row as she sealed her progression with a blistering ace towards the right baseline. 

The dream continues!

Anastasia Potapova becomes the first lucky loser to reach the semifinals at a Tier 1/WTA 1000 event!#MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/xCrzuq2Bvc

— wta (@WTA) April 29, 2026

Data Debrief: Unlucky loser?

After being handed a way into the Madrid Open despite failing to qualify, Potapova is making the most of her second chance. 

She became the first player representing Austria to reach a WTA-1000 semi-final, since the format's introduction in 2009, but her fine run should come as no surprise on this surface. 

In the last five years (since 2022), only Iga Swiatek (13) and Aryna Sabalenka (10) have made more WTA level clay court semi-finals than Potapova (six, equalling Jasmine Paolini and Coco Gauff).