TORONTO — Elena Rybakina continues to showcase her tenacity at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers.
The No. 2 seed battled hard in her quarterfinal match, marking her third three-set victory of the tournament by overcoming No. 11 seed Naomi Osaka with a scoreline of 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 on Tuesday.
Osaka, who had previously won every set in the WTA Tour 1000 event, found herself in a tough position as Rybakina mounted a comeback from a break down in the second set, ultimately securing a thrilling two-hour, 33-minute win.
“It was yet another challenging match,” reflected the two-time Grand Slam champion. “I honestly can’t believe I turned it around in the second set while being down 4-2. I just focused on staying positive and close to the game… I’m really thrilled about my comeback.”
The Kazakhstani powerhouse now prepares to face No. 4 seed Coco Gauff on Wednesday. Gauff, also a two-time Grand Slam victor, advanced after receiving a walkover win against Belinda Bencic, who had to withdraw due to a hip injury.
Rybakina and Gauff have met once before, with Gauff emerging victorious in a tense third-set tiebreaker during the round of 32 in Toronto last year.
“She’s a formidable competitor. I know this match will be incredibly tough,” Rybakina stated.
Despite a shaky start, Rybakina found her rhythm in front of an enthusiastic crowd, which included NBA star Kawhi Leonard taking front-row seats.
Her best performance came in the final set. Facing a 3-2 deficit while serving, Rybakina came from a seemingly insurmountable 40-love disadvantage, saving a fourth break point and securing a crucial hold.
Rybakina made a pivotal break thereafter, demonstrating her remarkable agility as she sprinted back to retrieve an Osaka lob on her backhand, delivering a stunning forehand before Osaka mishit a shot into the net.
Just two points later, Rybakina capitalized on an unforced error from Osaka, who visibly expressed her frustration by kicking her racket.
“We faced many close games during her service,” Rybakina noted. “I kept reminding myself to focus on starting the point; if she served well, credit to her.”
Rybakina closed out the match with a spectacular service game, racking up three aces and reinforcing her status as the WTA Tour leader in aces this year, totaling 15 against Osaka.
Despite recording 72 unforced errors, she also delivered 42 powerful winners.
Earlier in the year, Rybakina clinched the Australian Open but faced early exits at the French Open and Wimbledon.
Last year, she reached the semifinals of the NBO in Montreal, narrowly missing out on a match point against eventual champion Victoria Mboko. This time, Mboko is absent due to a knee injury after beating Osaka in the final.
Gauff will have the advantage of extra rest before facing Rybakina. While Rybakina was engaged in her match, Gauff enjoyed some light practice and shared a moment with Leonard in the players’ lounge.
“It’s crucial for me to recover,” Rybakina remarked. “If she finds her rhythm, returning her serves will be tough. Focusing on my serve and seizing every opportunity is vital, plus bringing maximum energy from the get-go.”
The other semifinal match features No. 7 Iga Swiatek of Poland against No. 9 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, ensuring an exciting lineup of top-10 talent.
Swiatek is a six-time Grand Slam champion, while Svitolina boasts four semifinal appearances at major tournaments.
