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Sabalenka downs Rybakina to reach WTA Finals semis

Sports

Sabalenka downs Rybakina to reach WTA Finals semis

By Agence France-Presse

At A Glance

World number one Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elena Rybakina 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in a rain-disrupted group match on Friday, Nov. 3, to reach the semifinals of the WTA Finals.

CANCUN (AFP) -- World number one Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elena Rybakina 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in a rain-disrupted group match on Friday, Nov. 3, to reach the semifinals of the WTA Finals.

Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka returns the ball against Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina during their women's singles match of the WTA Finals tennis championships in Cancun, Mexico, on Friday, Nov. 3. (AFP)

The Belarusian, who finished second in her group behind unbeaten American Jessica Pegula, kept her bid for the year-end number one ranking on track with a victory that took two days to complete.

She had won the first set but was trailing in the second when play was halted Thursday night after multiple rain delays.

Some 16 hours later, she and Rybakina returned to the outdoor hardcourts in Cancun, where fourth-ranked Rybakina of Kazakhstan calmly served out the second set to level the match in a matter of minutes.

Australian Open champion Sabalenka dug deep to halt Rybakina's momentum in the opening game of the third set, surviving nine deuces and two break points to hold serve.

She used a pair of ferocious forehands to break Rybakina in the fourth game.

If Sabalenka wins her semifinal match on Saturday, she's assured of finishing the year at number one.

If she falls, she'll open the door to Poland's Iga Swiatek -- who topped the rankings for 75 weeks but dropped from the summit after the US Open.

Swiatek was in action later Friday closing out group play against Tunisian Ons Jabeur.

US Open champion Coco Gauff takes on Marketa Vondrousova with all four players in that group still technically in the hunt for semifinal berths.

Related Tags

Elena Rybakina Aryna Sabalenka WTA

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