World number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka powered past second-ranked Elena Rybakina 6-4, 6-3 on Thursday to line up a Miami Open title clash with Coco Gauff.<\/p>\n
Sabalenka, who fell to Rybakina in the Australian Open final \u00a0before turning the tables on the Kazakh in the Indian Wells title match this earlier this month, broke the big-serving Rybakina twice in each set to come out on top in the blockbuster semi-final and keep her bid for the “Sunshine Double” of Indian Wells and Miami on track.<\/p>\n
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“I think I did everything right,” said Sabalenka, who applied ruthless pressure on Rybakina’s serve while delivering a sterling service performance that featured nine aces — including four in a row across the seventh and ninth games of the opening set.<\/p>\n
“She’s an incredible player, always pushes me to the limit,” Sabalenka said. “With her, you have to bring your best tennis and that’s why I was able to pull out such great tennis today.”<\/p>\n
Sabalenka had to save a match point to beat Rybakina in Indian Wells, but she was on the front foot on Thursday, seizing a break for a 3-1 lead in the opening set.<\/p>\n
Rybakina recouped the break immediately, but Sabalenka broke again to pocket the set and took command in the second with a break for 2-0 in a game which Rybakina led 40-0.<\/p>\n
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Trailing 0-4, Rybakina clawed back a break for 4-1 but Sabalenka wouldn’t flinch again. Rybakina saved one match point on her own serve before Sabalenka served it out with a love game punctuated by a fierce forehand winner.<\/p>\n
The match marked the first time outside the WTA Finals that the world’s two top-ranked players met before a final since Martina Hingis and Jana Novotna in the 1998 US Open semi-finals.<\/p>\n
It could only come about because Rybakina was seeded third, her rise to second in the rankings on Monday coming a day after the Miami draw was made.<\/p>\n
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