Hailey Baptiste Shocks No. 5 Seed Liudmila Samsonova, Charges Into WTA Abu Dhabi Open Semifinals

Hailey Baptiste’s breakout run at the 2026 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open continued on Friday as the 22-year-old American stunned No. 8 seed Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 to book her first career WTA 500 semifinal. The Washington, D.C. native, currently ranked No. 56, has now notched three consecutive three-set wins in the desert heat, having earlier toppled fourth seed Emma Navarro and Serbian qualifier Teodora Kostovic. Baptiste’s aggressive first-strike tennis and booming serve produced 37 winners against Samsonova, including 11 aces. After letting a 4-2 lead slip in the second set, she regrouped with smart net rushes and heavy forehands down the line to seal the decider in two hours and six minutes. Next up is a clash with No. 3 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, whom Baptiste defeated in their lone prior meeting at the 2024 Wuhan Open. A victory would propel her into her maiden tour final and could push her inside the world’s top 40—a career milestone she has targeted since returning from wrist surgery last summer. Key storylines fans will be tracking: • First American in the Abu Dhabi semifinals since Sofia Kenin (2021) • Baptiste’s 8-2 record on hard courts in 2026, tied for third-best on tour • The possibility of an all-American championship bout if Emma Raducanu advances from the opposite half of the draw With her charismatic celebrations and fearless shot-making, Baptiste has already electrified crowds at Zayed Sports City. Another upset could vault her into the global spotlight and position her as a dark-horse contender ahead of the Sunshine Double in Indian Wells and Miami. Tennis fans—and search engines—will be watching.