Badosa beats Bencic to reach Madrid last four

MADRID: Paula Badosa reached the semi-finals of the Madrid Open on Wednesday after a straight sets 6-4, 7-5 win over eighth seed Belinda Bencic.

Wild card entry Badosa will play either world number one Ashleigh Barty or ninth seed Petra Kvitova, who face off later on Wednesday, in the last four after becoming the first Spanish woman to make the tournament's semis.

The 23-year-old's win over the world number 11 was her third against a player in the top 20 following her victories over Bencic and Barty in her run to the semi-finals in Charleston a month ago.

Badosa kissed the clay court in celebration of a win that will shoot the world number 62 up the WTA rankings.

In the men's draw second seed Daniil Medvedev, returning to the circuit afer testing positive for Covid-19 in mid-April, picked up his first win on clay for two years when he came back from a set down to beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokinaa 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

The Russian has always struggled on clay.

In four attempts, he has failed to get past the first round of the French Open. Nor has he won a match in Rome while this was his first win in Madrid in his third appearance.

"I love clay," he said ironically into the camera at the end of the match.

In total, the 2021 Australian Open has only notched up 11 wins on the surface although he will have the chance to make that 12 when he takes on Christian Garin in last 16.

World number nine Diego Schwartzman was dumped out by Alsan Karatsev 2-6, 6-4, 6-1. Russian Karatsev will take on Alexander Bublik in the next round.