The Ice Queen serves up a masterclass: Elena Rybakina fires 17 aces to storm into Dubai semifinals

Elena Rybakina remains on course at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships after defeating Sofia Kenin 6-2, 7-6, securing her spot in a WTA 1000 semifinal for the ninth time in her career.

Even more impressively, all nine of her WTA 1000 semifinal appearances have come since 2023. In fact, she has reached at least the semifinals in 9 of her last 14 WTA 1000 events—meaning she has been among the final four in 64% of her tournaments at this level since 2023.

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First Set

The Ice Queen delivered an impressive serving performance, landing 64% of her first serves and winning 76% of those points. She fired 17 aces—compared to Kenin’s zero—while committing just three double faults to Kenin’s one.

Elena Rybakina at 2025 Abu Dhabi Open. She was eliminated at semifinals against Belinda Bencic.

The match initially seemed balanced, with both players holding serve in the early games. However, world No. 7 Rybakina took control, showing superior effectiveness in both forehand and backhand exchanges. For several minutes, the match was entirely dictated by Rybakina’s racket, both in terms of winners and unforced errors.

Still, the 2022 Wimbledon champion maintained her focus for the remainder of the set, winning 59% of the total points played. She secured the opener with a commanding 6-2 scoreline in just 31 minutes.

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Second Set

After a short break, world No. 56 Kenin started to pose more of a threat on return, even earning a break point early on. However, Rybakina saved it with a clutch ace. The Kazakh then broke for a 3-1 lead, but Kenin fought back, leveling the set by breaking in the fifth game.

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Having been overpowered in the first set, Kenin adjusted her approach, opting for angles to move Rybakina off the court rather than sheer power. She also mixed in drop shots, showcasing her finesse.

However, Rybakina’s ability to stay composed under pressure remains one of her greatest assets. She held her serve without problems, against a persistent Kenin, who managed to take everything to a tie-break. However, Rybakina didn't give up her pretensions and ended up taking the victory 6-2, 7-6(3).

Kenin will return to the top-50 after more than a year. She'll be listed as world No. 48 on Monday.

Next Challenge: Mirra Andreeva

Up next, Rybakina will face world No. 14 Mirra Andreeva, who is playing in her first WTA 1000 semifinal after a stunning 6-3, 6-3 win over world No. 2 Iga Swiatek.

The only previous meeting between Rybakina and Andreeva came at the 2023 China Open, where the Kazakh prevailed 2-6, 6-4, 6-1. However, Andreeva has since solidified herself as a top-15 player and continues to break records at just 17 years old.

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