Sabalenka Defeats Rybakina to Advance to Berlin Open Semifinals
World No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka secured her spot in the semifinals of the Berlin Open after a hard-fought victory over Elena Rybakina on Friday. The Belarusian star overcame her Kazakh opponent 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in a thrilling quarterfinal match that lasted two hours and 15 minutes.
The match featured powerful baseline exchanges between two of the WTA Tour's biggest hitters, with Sabalenka's aggressive play ultimately making the difference. She fired 12 aces and 38 winners to overcome Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion.
Key Moments:
- Sabalenka dominated the first set with her signature power game
- Rybakina fought back to take the second set with improved serving
- The decisive third set saw Sabalenka break twice at crucial moments
- Sabalenka saved 4 of 5 break points faced in the final set
This marks Sabalenka's third consecutive semifinal appearance on grass this season as she prepares for Wimbledon. The two-time Australian Open champion has now won 8 of her last 10 matches against top 10 opponents.
"Every match against Elena is so tough,"