Potapova first lucky loser to reach WTA 1000 semis at Madrid Open

MADRID— Anastasia Potapova dropped to her knees, put both hands on her face and started crying. The “explosion of emotions inside” came after the 56th-ranked Potapova beat Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3 on Wednesday at the Madrid Open to become the first “lucky loser” to reach the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event. READ: