Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka will face off for the third time this year here in the Miami Open, as both players are into the semi-finals. This particular match has huge ramifications, not only for the tournament proceedings but also for the WTA rankings.
Sabalenka remains on top with a massive edge of at least 4,000 points. But if she loses to Rybakina tomorrow, her lead would decrease, and Rybakina – the No. 2 player in the world – could certainly inch closer to Sabalenka.
Meanwhile, Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova – who eliminated tournament darling Alex Eala in the Round of 16 – make up the other semi-finals bracket, and the Miami Open 2026 odds expect the former to progress to the final, given their huge disparity in the rankings.
In case you missed it, here are some of the notable Miami Open 2026 updates, courtesy of SBOTOP.
Rybakina surpasses Asian legend after latest win
Elena Rybakina recovered from a slow start to eventually beat Jessica Pegula, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 15 minutes, securing her third Miami Open semi-final and fifth consecutive victory against the American. Rybakina also passed Li Na for the most WTA 1000 semi-finals appearances by an Asian player (13).
After dropping the opening set, Rybakina found herself in trouble again at 2-2. However, Pegula couldn’t convert three break points, and Rybakina had an unlikely hold, and from that point, the Kazakhstani found her groove for the rest of the match. In the decider, Rybakina won seven of the next eight games for a 3-1 lead, which she never relinquished. Her superb service was her main weapon, as she finished the match with 15 aces, the most in a single match in this year’s edition, and won 67-per cent of first-serve points. Overall, Rybakina has 33 aces in the tournament (also a record).
Up next for Rybakina is Aryna Sabalenka, whom she beat in the Australian Open final in January to win her second major crown. A few weeks ago, these two stars also faced off in the Indian Wells Masters final, which Sabalenka won.
Sabalenka is set on completing Sunshine Double
Aryna Sabalenka secured a 6-4, 6-4 win over Hailey Baptiste on Wednesday night to book her ticket to the Miami Open semi-finals for the second consecutive year, setting up her 17th career meeting with Elena Rybakina.
“I think it’s definitely going to be a battle,” Sabalenka said about facing Rybakina again. “It’s always a battle, always a fight, always a challenge. And I think we push each other to the limit, and we always bring the best tennis. I hope that it’s really enjoyable for you guys to watch us play, and I’m super excited (to be) playing her again.”
Sabalenka had to fend off Baptiste’s spirited challenge. During the opening set, Sabalenka held for 5-4, leaving Baptiste to serve to stay in it. However, the American eventually ran out of gas, as her ill-timed double fault handed Sabalenka the set. It was deja vu in the second, as Baptiste committed three double faults to give Sabalenka her first match point. Moments later, the world No. 1 fired a cross-court forehand winner to close out the match.
Against Baptiste, Sabalenka landed 83-per cent of first serves and won 79-per cent of those points, allowing her to avoid pressure on serve. On return, the Belarusian won 57-per cent of second-serve return points.
Sabalenka heads into the semi-finals in fine form, as she has yet to drop a set this week, improving to 32-1 against opponents ranked outside the Top 30 over the past 52 weeks.
Gauff hits Miami Open milestone
Coco Gauff won 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 against Belinda Bencic on Tuesday night to reach the Miami Open semi-finals for the first time in her budding professional career. If she beats Karolina Muchova next, Gauff will reach her sixth career WTA 1000 final, which would make her the third youngest player to do so since the format’s introduction in 2009, alongside Iga Swiatek and Caroline Wozniacki.
Gauff used her sharp net play to win the opening set, as she went a perfect 8-for-8 at the net. She also won 94-per cent of her first-serve points. However, Bencic fought back in the second set, as the No. 12 seed cut her unforced errors from 15 to seven and broke Gauff twice.
Fast forward to 5-3 in the third set, Gauff climbed out of a 0-30 hole, winning four straight points, giving her the momentum she needed to put away her Swiss counterpart eventually.
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