MADRID -- The two last semifinal spots will be decided on Wednesday at the Mutua Madrid Open.

Will World No.1 Iga Swiatek and No.3 and defending finalist Jessica Pegula book a marquee semifinal showdown? Or is an upset in the cards for 12th seed Veronika Kudermetova or 27th seed Petra Martic? 

Tuesday's Results: Sabalenka d. Sherif | Sakkari d. Begu

We break down the four final contenders from the top half of the draw:

[1] Iga Swiatek

How she got here: Coming off her second title of the season in Stuttgart, the World No.1 extended her win streak to seven after holding off No.17 Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3 in the Round of 16. As she looks to win her first Madrid title - she's only competed here once - Swiatek is into her first quarterfinal at the Caja Magica without losing a set. She defeated Julia Grabher and Bernarda Pera in her first two matches.

Notable stat: Swiatek has been taken to a third set just twice this season. She has won both matches.

Next up: Swiatek will face No.33 Petra Martic on Wednesday in the first meeting between the two.

In her words: "[Martic] can really play well on clay so I think it's going to be tough. I did my first practice here with her. She's an experienced player so it's never an easy match in the quarterfinals."

[3] Jessica Pegula

How she got here: A finalist in Madrid last year, Pegula managed her opening two wins in straight sets over Magdalena Frech and Marie Bouzkova. She was tested in the Round of 16 by 2022 Roland Garros semifinalist Martina Trevisan, but Pegula kept her cool to defeat the Italian 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. Her week in Madrid follows up a strong start to her clay season in Charleston last month, where she advanced to the semifinals.

Notable stat: A consistent force at the WTA 1000 level, Pegula has advanced to the quarterfinals or better in six of her last seven WTA 1000 appearances, most recently making the semifinals of the Miami Open. 

Next up: Pegula will face 12th seed Veronika Kudermetova on Wednesday. It will be their first meeting on the singles court.

In her words: "I've played three people who five years ago probably would have destroyed me just out of me being frustrated or being impatient, especially on clay, which wasn't always my best surface. For me, that's a big mental win, even if it might not look like it on paper because of the rankings. For me, everyone I've played has been my worst nightmare. To be able to come through that in tricky conditions on clay definitely should give me some confidence."

[12] Veronika Kudermetova

How she got here: Kudermetova was on the brink of an exit in her fourth-round match against No.8 Daria Kasatkina. She wiped out two match points to earn her first win over Kasatkina, 7-5, 1-6, 7-6(2). That victory came on the heels of two hard-earned wins against 21st seed Anastasia Potapova and Spain's Nuria Parrizas Diaz. 

Notable stat: No one has played more tennis in Madrid than Kudermetova. Battling through three sets in all her matches, Kudermetova has spent 8 hours and 17 minutes on court. 

Next up: A Wednesday showdown against Pegula.

In her words: "To be honest I feel pretty good because yesterday after the long match against Nastia, for the first time I drank beer for my recovery. I took two glasses. I think it helps for my recovery yesterday."

[27] Petra Martic

How she got here: With wins over Laura Siegemund, Anna Kalinskaya, and 11th seed Barbora Krejcikova, Martic is into her second Madrid quarterfinal. Her win over Krejcikova, which required her to save multiple set points to seal a 6-3, 7-6(2) win, was her second Top 20 win of the season. 

Madrid: Martic's five best drop shots vs. Krejcikova in Round 4

Notable stat: The last time Martic made the quarterfinals in Madrid was in 2019. She went on to make the quarterfinals at Roland Garros and finish the year ranked No.15.

Next up: Martic will face No.1 Swiatek on Wednesday.

With her game finally clicking, Martic readies to face Swiatek

In her words: "I think from the beginning of the season I was slowly playing better and better. I think the last couple of weeks my game improved a lot. I was hoping it was going to come together here. I love Madrid."