First shock in Miami Open: Ashlyn Krueger stuns Elena Rybakina in three-set battle

Ashlyn Krueger caused the first upset by defeating Elena Rybakina after a hard-fought 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory. The world No. 40 was sharper in the key moments in a duel where both players were precise with their serves. It’s the 20-year-old’s first win against a top-10 player.

Rybakina hadn’t lost in the first round of a tournament since the 2024 Cincinnati Open last August, when she fell to Leylah Fernandez. The Kazakh will now have to shift her focus to the clay swing after a disappointing Sunshine Double that will see her drop to world No. 9.

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Steady Krueger claims first set

A match marked by strong serving and very few rallies. Both players started by holding serve, and Krueger (No. 40) was the first to break after a couple of errors from Rybakina (No. 8).

The 20-year-old held onto her serve to stay ahead, even though she couldn’t do much on return. With three set points in her favour, she eventually took the set 6-4, with just one break making the difference.

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The Kazakh had a 54% first serve in, winning 86% of those points, while on the other side, Krueger posted an impressive 81% first-serve percentage, winning 68% of those points. The difference was clear on second serve, with Krueger winning 100% compared to Rybakina’s poor 42%.

Flawless serving sees Rybakina level the match

This time, Rybakina showed she was determined to take control and avoid surprises. The former world No. 3 was simply flawless on serve, winning 100% of her service points, both on her first and second serves.

Although Krueger initially held her serve in a tight start, a game full of errors from the American changed the match. When Rybakina broke at 3-2, she seemed to regain her confidence, while Krueger’s level dropped noticeably, appearing insecure on serve for the only time in the set. Still, the American maintained her serving consistency and never allowed Rybakina to be as aggressive as she usually is.

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Krueger holds her nerve to seal stunning upset.

Both players maintained the tone of most of the match — hardly any rallies, with points rarely lasting more than four shots. Early on, Krueger managed to break serve, ending a streak of five consecutive games won by the 2022 Wimbledon champion.

The set reached 2-2 with neither facing too much trouble on serve. However, Rybakina’s errors began to show as she tried to take the initiative in the latter stages but couldn’t put Krueger’s serve under threat. The American showed remarkable composure in the third set, securing a crucial break in the fifth game that gave her a vital advantage.

The home favourite squandered a second break opportunity and later faced the pressure of saving a break point but managed to hold for 5-3. Although Rybakina seemed to have a chance to fight back, Krueger ultimately closed out the victory 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

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