Second-seeded Elena Rybakina fought back from a set and a break down to prevail 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in her Canadian Open quarterfinal against Naomi Osaka in Toronto on Tuesday. The match, which lasted two hours and 33 minutes, marked the first tour-level encounter between the two stars.
In the opening set, Osaka broke serve in the first game and maintained that advantage to take the lead. The four-time Grand Slam champion then surged to a 4-2 lead in the second set, but Rybakina rallied and came out on top in a tiebreaker to force the decider. In the third set, the Kazakh successfully defended four break points before breaking Osaka’s serve in back-to-back games to seize control and seal the victory.
Reflecting on the match, Rybakina said, “This first game of the match was really tough because it cost me the set. In the second I was just trying to stay closer to the score, even if I’m losing.” She added, “It’s rare when you don’t play some players for so many years you’re on tour. She’s a great champion. She’s a fighter. I knew it would be a tough match.”
Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon and 2026 Australian Open champion, will now meet fourth-seeded Coco Gauff for a place in the final. Gauff advanced to the semifinal without playing on Tuesday after her opponent, Belinda Bencic, withdrew from the tournament due to a hip injury. This progression gives the American extra time to fine-tune her game ahead of the upcoming US Open.
The 22-year-old Gauff is currently chasing her first title of the year and has reached the 16th WTA 1000 semifinal of her career. Having finished as a runner-up in Miami and Rome earlier this season, Gauff has looked strong in Toronto, where she has not dropped a set. The only previous meeting between Gauff and Rybakina also took place in Toronto, where the American secured a three-set victory in 2022.
The 2023 US Open champion is into the 16th WTA 1000 semifinal of her career as the 22-year-old chases her first title of the year.
