Aryna Sabalenka outlasts Elena Rybakina to reach semi-finals in Cancun, Jessica Pegula thrashes Maria Sakkari
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Updated 04/11/2023 at 00:04 GMT
World No. 5 Jessica Pegula became the first player to qualify for the WTA Finals semi-finals as she maintained her 100% record with a straight sets victory over Maria Sakkari. Pegula has won over 100 matches across singles and doubles in an astonishing season. The American was joined in the last four by Aryna Sabalenka, who eventually downed Elena Rybakina in a match heavily impacted by rain.
Aryna Sabalenka during a match against Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, on Day 5 of the GNP Seguros WTA Finals Cancun 2023 part of the Hologic WTA Tour, on November 2, 2023.
Image credit: Getty Images
Aryna Sabalenka booked her place in the last four of the WTA Finals in Cancun with a hard-fought 6-2 3-6 6-3 win over Elena Rybakina in a match that featured several rain delays.
The world No. 1 won the first set but trailed 3-5 in the second when play on the Estadio Paradisus court was suspended on Thursday evening.
Rybakina levelled at one set apiece when the players returned some 16 hours later before Sabalenka survived a dramatic decider.
Sabalenka won her opening service game after facing two break points and nine deuces in a gruelling 17-minute battle before landing the first blow to surge 3-1 clear.
Rybakina hit back immediately but Sabalenka made it a hat-trick of consecutive breaks to re-establish her two-game advantage at 4-2 before serving it out to reach the final four.
“Was really tough battle in really tough conditions,” Sabalenka said. “I’m super happy that I was able to get this win no matter what.”
She now has the chance to become the first player since Serena Williams in 2013 and '14 to reach consecutive finals.
Sabalenka joined Jessica Pegula in progressing out of the Bacalar group.
Pegula kept up her perfect record to reach the semi-finals with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Maria Sakkari.
The American topped the group after extending her 100% record, following earlier wins over Sabalenka and Rybakina.
It's the first time the American has made the last four of the end-of-season bash as she extended her season record to 50-0 when winning the first set.
She now has six straight wins over top 10 players as she targets the biggest title of her career.
"Getting through 3-0 is really kind of a cool accomplishment, especially coming off of last year, where it was the opposite," said Pegula, who lost all three matches at the event in 2022.
Meanwhile, Chetumal Group will conclude on Friday with all four players still in the hunt for a semi-final spot.
Iga Swiatek meets Ons Jabeur while Coco Gauff faces Marketa Vondrousova.
Swiatek tops the group with two wins from two, Jabeur and Gauff have one win apiece, while winless Vondrousova (0-2) still retains slim hopes of qualifying.
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