"I’d say I’m playing at about an 8. I always leave some gap for improvement" - Room in the tank to improve as Aryna Sabalenka weighs up Rybakina clash

Aryna Sabalenka is set to face off against Elena Rybakina in the semi-final stage of the Miami Open. The pair were engrossed in a hugely captivating tie in California a couple of weeks ago and will be hoping to put on another show for the Miami crowd.

The world number one got to this stage by taking down home favourite Hailey Baptiste 6-4, 6-4. The American was competing in her first-ever WTA 1000 quarterfinal, breaking new ground in the process. This was familiar territory for Sabalenka who stole a march in the first set after snatching the final three games. She looked to have got the match firmly under control after breaking in the second set but Baptiste came firing back instantly. In the end, the class and quality of Sabalenka prevailed and she motored through to a 21st WTA 1000 semi-final.

"She played incredible tennis. She really pushed me. The rhythm and the heaviness of her shots are incredible," she said on the Tennis Channel, in full praise of her opponent. "I’m super happy that I was able to handle the pressure and get the win."

While she was impressed and satisfied with her current showings on court, when asked for a ranking she opted to leave something in the tank as she strives to improve. "I’d say I’m playing at about an 8. I always leave some gap for improvement. There are still a few things that didn’t work exactly the way I wanted, but overall I’m super happy."

Many tennis players stick to their fairly strict routines when at a tennis tournament, no matter the size or stage. That is also the case for Sabalenka who likes to keep her focus on the match itself, not what she is doing beforehand.

"No, I like to keep everything the same. I think that’s really important," she stated. "I try not to pay attention to the round—whether it’s the first round or the final, I approach it the same way. If you start changing your routine at the end of a tournament, that’s when you shift your focus too much onto the stage of the event. I prefer to keep things consistent."

While this routine, tried and tested, has worked for her, it will never totally abolish the nerves when stepping out onto the court for a hugely crucial match. That is despite the fact that she is widely regarded as the best player currently competing on the WTA Tour and a wealth of experience being added as well.

"I think everyone is nervous—that’s just part of the process," she admitted. "With experience, I’ve learned how to shift my focus from the nerves to the game plan. That’s been a huge improvement for me over the years."

In recent times, the rivalry between Sabalenka and Rybakina has been a fascinating one. Following in the same footsteps of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner on the ATP Tour to an extent, the women's game finally has an outright rivalry between two top players once more as the rest struggle to keep up in this period.

It had not been smooth sailing for Sabalenka. She came out second best in the final of the WTA Finals and Australian Open to the Kazakh before getting one over her in the final at Indian Wells, surviving a match point in the process.

While a lot of anguish has been displayed in this brewing rivalry by Sabalenka, she was thoroughly enjoying it. "I love it. I love it so much," she confirmed. "When someone pushes you to the limit, that’s when you grow, when you become a better player, and when you really test your level and your strength."

For the third time in 2026 and second in the Sunshine swing, the duo will clash on court but this time at the semi-final stage. The winner will either take on Coco Gauff or Karolina Muchova for glory in Florida. "We’ve played a lot of matches recently, and all of them have been battles—real shows. I’m super excited to face her again and can’t wait to step on court."

The Belarusian is determined to learn from prior mistakes and get it right this time. "There are a few things I need to do a bit better," she said. "We’ll practice tomorrow and talk with my coach about tactics. There’s always something you can take from a match, whether you win or lose. It’s important to understand what worked, what didn’t, and what you need to improve—that’s how we approach it."