MADRID: World number two Aryna Sabalenka was forced to sweat by Mayar Sherif but eventually came through 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 to reach the Madrid Open semifinals on Tuesday.
Australian Open champion Sabalenka struggled badly at first but turned the two-hour match around convincingly to reach the semifinals.
"I was just trying to keep fighting to keep playing my game and find my rhythm," said Sabalenka.
"She's a clay court specialist and I'm very happy with this win. It was a very tough one."
Sherif, the first Egyptian to reach a WTA 1000 quarterfinal, capitalised on Sabalenka's erratic start to break in the first game.
The 26-year-old became the first player to take a set off Sabalenka in Madrid, breaking again for 4-1 and missing set point at 5-1 before clinching it on serve.
However the Belarusian, 24, bounced back strongly, converting all four of her break points in the second set and hitting 10 winners to Sherif's one to force a third.
The 2021 Madrid winner was a break down at 2-1 in the second but won 11 of the next 12 games.
Sabalenka showed her power as she battered Sherif back to break in the third set before consolidating for 3-0.
Sherif, who beat world number five Caroline Garcia in straight sets in the third round, was eventually overrun by the big-hitter, who secured another break and then served out.
On Monday, Sabalenka made light work of 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva with a 6-3, 6-1 win to reach the quarterfinals.
Iga Swiatek, top of the world rankings, followed her into the last eight with a hard-fought three set win over Ekaterina Alexandrova, 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3.
Russian youngster Andreeva, a wildcard, became only the third 15-year-old to win a WTA 1000 main draw match when she beat 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez last week.
She went on to beat two top 20 players in Beatriz Haddad Maia and, on her 16th birthday, Magda Linette, but overcoming 2021 Madrid winner Sabalenka was a bridge too far.
Two-time French Open winner Swiatek recovered from an early break by world number 17 Alexandrova to take the first set in what proved a trickier clash than it seemed on paper.
The Pole surrendered a 5-2 lead in the second and failed to convert a match point on the way to a tie-break, in which Alexandrova hit three aces to force a third set.
Swiatek broke for 2-1 and held on to that advantage before breaking to love to clinch victory in two hours and 27 minutes, finishing at past 1 am on Tuesday morning.
"(Playing so late) wasn't easy for sure," said Swiatek.
"It's tough, you have to sleep in the middle of the day to be fresh in the evening."
Swiatek will face Croatian Petra Martic, who upset Czech player Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 7-6 (7/1).
Third seed Jessica Pegula beat Italy's Martina Trevisan 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 and will face Veronika Kudermetova, who beat Daria Kasatkina in a tight all-Russian battle 7-5, 1-6, 7-2 (7/2).
Maria Sakkari beat home favourite Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-4 to set up a quarterfinal clash with Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu.
MEDVEDEV, RUBLEV OUT
On Tuesday, world number three Daniil Medvedev crashed out in the fourth round against Russian compatriot Aslan Karatsev, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4.
The second seed in the Spanish capital has admitted he struggles on clay and fell to another defeat against Karatsev on the dirt, as he did in Rome two seasons ago.
After going nearly three hours on Monday in a three-set win over another Russian, Alexander Shevchenko, Medvedev secured an early break but Karatsev immediately struck back for 2-2.
They stayed on serve and Karatsev triumphed comfortably in the tie-break, his ball striking immaculate throughout the clash.
Medvedev complained fruitlessly about the shadows in the Arantxa Sanchez stadium, the second court in Madrid.
Ranked 121st in the world, qualifier Karatsev broke the 2021 US Open winner for 3-2 in the second set and only dropped two points on his serve after that to triumph.
"Feeling great, playing well, I just have to focus every match. I'll be preparing for the next round," said Karatsev.
"You just concentrate more (against the best players), you have to be 100 per cent because they don't give you any free points, you have to concentrate, be mentally tough."
Earlier, Karen Khachanov knocked out Andrey Rublev 7-6 (10/8), 6-4 in another all-Russian battle, and will face home favourite Carlos Alcaraz or Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals. -- AFP
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