Number 4 seed Elena Rybakina overcame this year’s Indian Wells finalist Maria Sakkari 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 to return to the quarter finals at the Miami Open. Rybakina now leads 3-1 in her four head-to-head matches against Sakkari.
Rybakina has achieved her third three-set win in four matches played so far at this tournament. The Kazakh player is the highest player remaining at this tournament after World number 1 Iga Swiatek was beaten by Ekaterina Alexandrova in the Round of 16 on Monday.
Both players held on their serve in the first six games before two consecutive breaks. Rybakina broke serve in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead, but Sakkari broke straight back in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Sakkari saved two set points in the 12th game, but Rybakina broke serve on her third opportunity to win the first set 7-5.
The second set started with three consecutive breaks. Sakkari earned two of these breaks to take a 2-1 lead. Rybakina broke back in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4 and held two match points at 15-40 in the 10th game. Rybakina did not convert her first match point after a missed backhand in the net. Sakkari saved the second match point with a down the line forehand to level the score to 5-5. Sakkari went up a mini-break twice, but Rybakina pulled back on serve both times. Sakkari won the final three points from 4-4 to win the tie-break 7-4.
Both players held serve in the first six games of the third set. Sakkari saved three break points in the seventh game, but Rybakina converted her fourth break point to take a 4-3 lead. Rybakina earned two more match points in Sakkari’s next service game. The Greek player saved both match points after five deuces. Rybakina hit four unreturned first serves to seal the win on her fifth match point.
Rybakina is aiming to win her third title this year after her previous triumphs in Brisbane and Abu Dhabi. The 2022 Wimbledon champion set up a semifinal match against three-time Miami Open champion Victoria Azarenka, who beat Yulia Putintseva in a three-set quarter final. Rybakina leads 3-0 in her head-to-head matches against Rybakina and beat her Belarusian opponent 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 in the semifinal of the 2023 Australian Open.
“I have no words because I am so tired, but I am really happy with the win. It was such a tough battle. I got a little bit lucky with new balls, so it was easier to serve it out, now, I just need to recover. Sakkari had more energy. She was serving much better at the beginning of the third set, but I was just thinking to play point by point”, said Rybakina.
