MADRID — Anastasia Potapova fell to her knees, covering her face with her hands as tears streamed down her cheeks.
The overwhelming rush of emotions came after the 56th-ranked Austrian made history by becoming the first “lucky loser” to reach a WTA 1000 semifinal, triumphing over Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3 on Wednesday at the Madrid Open.
She faced a moment of uncertainty, nearly letting victory slip away as she squandered three match points in the second set and had to rally from a 1-3 deficit in the final set.
“I had a few match points in the second set while serving, but my nerves got the best of me,” the 25-year-old Potapova reflected. “This tournament keeps presenting me with second chances, and I keep seizing them. I’m absolutely thrilled!”
The Russian-born athlete shared that her spirits soared when her boyfriend, Dutch player Tallon Griekspoor, arrived just in time to support her.
“I was struggling mentally in the third set, doubting myself,” she admitted. “But I owe a lot to my boyfriend for arriving when he did. He motivated me, saying, ‘You can do this; we’re all in this together, just keep pushing.’”
Potapova emphasized that Griekspoor isn’t afraid to speak his mind, deserving a share of the credit for her victory.
“I just played, but he kept my mind focused. His support came at such a crucial moment and energized me. I believe he played a significant role mentally in this match, while I handled the physical aspects,” she said.
Next, she will clash with Marta Kostyuk, who triumphed over Linda Noskova with a scoreline of 7-6 (1), 6-0.
Potapova made her way into the tournament as a lucky loser after falling in her second qualifying match, becoming the first lucky loser to reach a WTA 1000 or Tier I semifinal since the format’s introduction in 1990, as recorded by the WTA.
She solidified her spot by winning four consecutive matches, including a notable victory against world No. 2 Elena Rybakina in the round of 16.
“Honestly, I never expected to find myself back in the draw because initially, my name wasn’t considered among the lucky losers,” she recounted. “As days went by, no one withdrew, and at the very last minute, I learned that I’d be given another shot, just 30 minutes before my match.”
She mentioned enjoying her time in the beautiful Spanish city without any pressure.
“Perhaps that’s the secret: you don’t need to be hyper-focused all the time,” Potapova suggested. “Sometimes, it’s about enjoying yourself and the journey, and that might just bring the results.”
She described making it to the semifinals as feeling like “a miracle.”
“It’s rare to receive a second chance and come so close to the finish line,” Potapova acknowledged. “But I also believe that if you get that chance, you must have earned it somehow. I’ve worked hard, and it’s not enough for everyone to get a second chance; it’s how many will actually capitalize on it. I’m happy to say I made the most of mine, and here I am.”
