🎾 WTA Madrid R2: Donna Vekic vs Hailey Baptiste

🎾 WTA Madrid R2: Donna Vekic vs Hailey Baptiste

🧠 Form & Context

Donna Vekic
🇭🇷 From Wimbledon peak to form slump: Just a year removed from a Wimbledon semifinal, an Olympic silver medal, and a top-20 ranking, Vekic finds herself in one of the toughest stretches of her career.
📉 2025 breakdown: The Croatian has lost 10 of her last 15 matches and only managed two wins since the Australian Open. Her recent first-round loss to Jana Fett in Stuttgart underscored her struggles.
⚠️ Confidence issues: Her power-based game has been off—rushed points, inconsistent serving, and fewer winners.
📍 Madrid struggles: She hasn’t found consistency at this event and enters in search of much-needed rhythm.

Hailey Baptiste
🇺🇸 Gritty breakthrough: Pulled off one of the best wins of her career in the opening round, defeating Sorana Cirstea in a tense three-setter where she saved multiple break points late in the decider.
📈 Steady climb: Cracked the top 100 in late 2023, with quarterfinals in Auckland and third-round appearances in Miami and Wuhan. She’s finding her feet at the WTA level.
🌱 Clay learning curve: Though not her favorite surface, Baptiste's athleticism and improving baseline resilience suit Madrid’s quicker conditions.
🔥 Dangerous when confident: With four top-30 wins under her belt—including Kasatkina in Miami—she’s proven she can step up in big matches.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This matchup is a clear clash between experience and rising belief. Vekic has the firepower to overwhelm opponents when she’s clicking—but lately, her game has lacked rhythm and margin. She’s making too many unforced errors and looks tentative in key moments.

Baptiste enters with momentum and a nothing-to-lose mindset. She can absorb Vekic’s pace and extend rallies, which might expose the Croat’s inconsistency. Madrid’s altitude can help Vekic's flat shots penetrate, but if she doesn’t serve well and hit clean early, she’ll likely be dragged into long, physical exchanges—which favors Baptiste.

If Vekic rediscovers her timing, she’s certainly capable of turning this around. But recent form and on-court confidence point toward the American holding the edge.

🔮 Prediction

Prediction: Baptiste in 3 sets
Baptiste’s fighting spirit and recent form make her the more reliable pick. Expect a rollercoaster match with swings in momentum, but the American’s defensive grit and composure under pressure should be enough to edge past the struggling former top-20 player.