Abu Dhabi Open: Baptiste and Bejlek reach WTA semi-finals for first time

VIDEO SHOWS: HIGHLIGHTS OF QUARTER-FINALS FROM ABU DHABI OPEN – A WTA 500 EVENT INCLUDING: CLARA TAUSON V MCCARTNEY KESSLER ALEXANDRA EALA V EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA SONAY KARTAL V SARA BEJLEK LIUDMILA SAMSONOVA V HAILEY BAPTISTE RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT  SHOWS: ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (FEBRUARY 5, 2026) (WTA/DAZN – See restrictions before use) CLARA TAUSON BEATS MCCARTNEY KESSLER 6- 6-4 1. TAUSON WINS BREAK POINT WITH A BACKHAND AT THE NET 2. KESSLER WINS POINT WITH BACKHAND VOLLEY 3. TAUSON WINS FIRST SET WITH A BACKHAND FROM THE BASELINE 4. TAUSON WINS POINT WITH FOREHAND WITH SCORE AT 3-3 5. KESSLER SAVES BREAK POINT WITH A BACKHAND WINNER 6. KESSLER HITS BALL WIDE AND TAUSON WINS THE MATCH/ PLAYERS HUG AT THE NET EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA BEATS ALEXANDRA EALA 6-3 6-3 7. ALEXANDROVA HITS FOREHAND WINNER TO GO A BREAK UP 8. ALEXANDROVA HITS FOREHAND WINNER  TO WIN FIRST SET 9. EALA HITS FOREHAND VOLLEY AT THE NET TO SAVE A BREAK POINT 10. EALA NETS AND ALEXANDROVA WINS THE MATCH/ PLAYERS   SARA BEJLEK BEATS SONAY KARTAL  6-0 6-2 11. BEJLEK WINS POINT WITH DROPSHOT FROM THE BASELINE 12. BEJLEK WINS POINT WITH FOREHAND SMASH AT THE NET 13. KARTAL NETS AND BEJLEK WINS THE SET 14. BEJLEK WINS POINT WITH DROP SHOT FROM THE BASELINE 15. KARTAL HITS SMASH WIDE AND BEJLEK WINS MATCH/ PLAYERS HUG AT THE NET HAILEY BAPTISTE BEATS LIUDMILA SAMSONOVA 6-2 4-6 6-4 16. BAPTISTE HITS FOREHAND WINNER ON SAMSONOVA'S SERVE 17. SAMSONOVA HITS LONG AND BAPTISTE WINS FIRST SET 18. SAMSONOVA WINS RALLY WITH FOREHAND 19. BAPTISTE SCRAMBLES FOR A DROP SHOT, LEAPS FOR A LOB AND THE NETS THE BALL TO LOSE THE SECOND SET 20. BAPTISTE HITS VOLLEY TO SAVE A BREAK POINT  21. SAMSONOVA MAKES A DOUBLE FAULT TO LOSE THE MATCH/ PLAYERS SHAKE HANDS AT THE NET/ BAPTISTE CELEBRATES STORY: Wild card Hailey Baptiste and qualifier Sara Bejlek have reached the semi-finals of a WTA tournament for the first time in their careers after winning their matches in the Abu Dhabi Open on Thursday (February 5). Bejlek swept aside Briton Sonay Kartal in just 63 minutes winning the first 10 games in a row to complete a 6-0 6-2 victory.  The Czech player will meet Clara Tauson after she reached the last four with victory over McCartney Kessler. Baptiste needed three sets to defeat her opponent number five seed Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. One seed who did not succumb to an upset was Ekaterina Alexandrova. She ran out a 6-3 6-3 win in just over 90 minutes against Alexandra Eala and will face Baptiste in the semi finals. (Production: Simon Ormiston)

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