Down 6-2 in final-set tiebreak, Sabalenka escapes Rybakina in Berlin
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka authored a stunning escape in the quarterfinals of the Berlin Tennis Open on Friday against Elena Rybakina. Trailing the 2022 Wimbledon champion 6-2 in the final-set tiebreak, Sabalenka ripped off six straight points in a 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-6(6) comeback victory to reach her eighth semifinal of the season.
Berlin: Draws | Scores | Order of play
The 2 hour, 42-minute match was the latest chapter of a thrilling head-to-head between the two players, one which Sabalenka now leads 7-4. The pair had traded victories in their last five meetings, but Rybakina looked on course to score back-to-back wins over Sabalenka for the first time since 2023 when she turned a 5-4 third-set deficit into a lead, and moved one point away from her fourth semifinal of the season.
But after a Sabalenka backhand dribbled over after hitting the net on the first match point, the stroke of luck put wind back into the top seed's sails. A big serve that barely touched Rybakina's racquet frame, and a first-ball backhand that was as good as a winner, put the match back on Rybakina's racquet -- and the final match point saw the Kazakh miss a forehand wide.
Two points later, Sabalenka was safely through to a semifinal against another former Wimbledon winner: the resurgent 2023 champion, Marketa Vondrousova.
Sabalenka's comeback proved that the key to tennis isn't always in home many points you win; it's about what points you win. She finished second-best in almost all of the applicable on-court statistics: Rybakina hit 14 aces (to Sabalenka's six) and 45 winners to Sabalenka's 29. The former World No. 3 also broke serve six times in 10 chances, while Sabalenka converted four of nine break points.
"Elena, she's a great player and we've had a lot of tough battles ... I have no idea how I was able to win those last points. I think I just got lucky, to be honest," Sabalenka confessed afterwards.
"I remember a long time ago when I was just starting, I won a lot of matches being down match points, and not so long ago, I was thinking that it's been a while since I've made a crazy comeback, and here I am.
"It's amazing to win matches like that ... and I'm proud of myself for how I stayed in. I was fighting, I was trying until the very last point."
The World No. 1 is 4-3 all-time against Vondrousova -- but they haven't played on grass in seven years.
"She's a very tricky player, has a good touch and a lot of slices," Sabalenka said of the left-hander. "Her game fits perfectly on grass; it's going to be a tough challenge, but I'm excited to face her. I'm looking forward [to it] and cannot wait."
