Elena Rybakina overturns poor Head to Head record in convincing win over Aryna Sabalenka to reach China Open semi-finals
WTAFriday, 06 October 2023 at 15:17
Elena Rybakina is through to the semi-finals of the China Open in Beijing after a very convincing win over World Number One, Aryna Sabalenka earlier this afternoon.
Rybakina produced a 7-5, 6-2 win over Sabalenka who she previously lost her first four matches too including the final of the Australian Open.
But since defeating Sabalenka at Indian Wells, she has notched up a second win today with the pressure telling on the Belarusian in key moments with double faults which have been a previous issue creeping back into the game. Liudmila Samsonova awaits Rybakina next.
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Rybakina came out firing straight out the gate with two aces to make it 1-1 before breaking Sabalenka's serve to make it 2-1. Three unforced errors from Rybakina allowed Sabalenka to tie it up and re-take the lead at 3-2.
But Rybakina managed to tie it up after a long drawn out service game. Both then exchanged flawless service holds to leave it poised at 5-5. But Rybakina finally made it count when it mattered most at 6-5 for a break before serving it out.
Set two saw the errors start to creep in off the Sabalenka serve with Rybakina at her rampant best. She did not face a single break point during the set and broke twice in a row at 3-2 up and 5-2 up including the former being to love.
From there after Sabalenka had the chance to save serve at 5-2, the race was run as Rybakina eased through her final service game with Sabalenka not winning another point in heading out.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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