Elena Rybakina displayed incredible resilience at the Canadian Open quarter-finals in Toronto, battling back from a set and a break down to overcome Naomi Osaka. The Kazakh star, who holds the 2022 Wimbledon and 2026 Australian Open titles, triumphed over her Japanese opponent with a 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 victory in a grueling battle lasting two hours and 33 minutes to secure her spot in the semi-finals.
Surmounting 72 Unforced Errors in the Second Set
Despite accumulating 72 unforced errors throughout the match, marking her highest single-match error tally of the current season, Rybakina kept her composure during critical rallies. Osaka made an aggressive start by breaking Rybakina in the opening game, eventually claiming the first set 6-4. The momentum appeared to remain with the four-time Grand Slam champion in the second set as she broke service once more to establish a 4-2 advantage, despite Rybakina having retrieved an earlier break.
Refusing to concede, Rybakina stormed back by claiming three consecutive games and forcing a tie-break. She narrowly clinched the tie-break 7-5 to even the contest at one set apiece. Reflecting on her mindset, Rybakina stated, "I was just trying to fight." She noted that dropping the opening game had been costly, but remaining focused allowed her to stay competitive even while trailing.
Turning the Tide in the Final Set
The deciding third set reached a pivotal moment when Osaka led 3-2 and created four break point opportunities. However, Rybakina saved all four break points to hold serve, preventing Osaka from taking control. Seizing momentum, Rybakina broke Osaka in the very next game to forge ahead. She then comfortably served out the match, sealing the victory with her 15th ace of the contest.
Semi-Final Matchups and Osaka Withdrawal
In the semi-finals, Rybakina will clash with Coco Gauff. Gauff advanced after her quarter-final opponent Belinda Bencic was forced to retire due to a hip injury. Meanwhile, following her defeat, Osaka confirmed that she is withdrawing from the Cincinnati Open, the final tune-up tournament prior to the US Open, citing physical fatigue.
Additional Toronto Quarter-Final Action
In the other quarter-final fixtures in Toronto, Iga Swiatek delivered a dominant performance to dispatch Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-1. Swiatek will meet Elina Svitolina in the second semi-final match. Svitolina rallied after dropping the opening set to eliminate Ekaterina Alexandrova 3-6, 6-0, 6-3.
