Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka came back from a set and a break down to beat Paula Badosa 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 and reach the semifinals of the Porsche Grand Prix on Friday.
Badosa broke Sabalenka in the opening game of the second set and was leading 4-2 before the Belarusian won seven straight games to take the set and move into a 3-0 lead in the decider. Badosa recovered to 3-3 but was broken in each of her next two service games to give Sabalenka the victory.
Sabalenka beat a clay specialist for the second straight match after defeating 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejčíková on Wednesday.
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek rallied to beat Karolina Pliskova 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 for a place in the Porsche Grand Prix semifinals on Friday.
Swiatek hadn’t played since last month in the Indian Wells semifinals because of a rib injury but began her clay season on Thursday with a convincing win over Zheng Qinwen.
She next faces third-seeded Ons Jabeur, who eased into the semifinals against Beatriz Haddad Maia by 6-3, 6-0 in their quarterfinal.
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