Impressive Rybakina knocks out Sabalenka to reach the semi-finals in Beijing

The Kazakh defeated Aryna Sabalenka 7-5, 6-2 to reach the semi-finals on her debut in Beijing. She’ll play Liudmila Samsonova in the last four

Elena Rybakina beats Sabalenka to reach the semi-finals of the China Open 2023 © Andy Wong/AP/SIPA

Jamie Malachy

October 6, 2023

China Open •Quarter-final • completed

See draw

A. SabalenkavsE. Rybakina

Elena Rybakina has reached the last four of the China Open by beating top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 7-5, 6-2 at National Tennis Center in Beijing.

The Kazakh has now won all five of her 1000-level quarter-finals this season and narrows her head-to-head record against Sabalenka to 4-2, having lost the opening four encounters against the Belarusian.

After losing a power-heavy, three-set final to Sabalenka in the Australian Open at the turn of the season, Rybakina has hit upon an effective strategy against the Belarusian to win the next two encounters with the World No 1 – beating her in the final of Indian Wells, before this week’s victory in Beijing.

The World No 5 is now the first player since Belinda Bencic to win four consecutive matches against the World No 1, having also beaten Iga Swiatek in all three of their encounters this season when she topped the rankings, and is undefeated in WTA 1000 events against top 10 opponents this season.

Rybakina beats Sabalenka for the second time in a row to move into the semi-finals of the China Open

Rybakina was impressive throughout the contest, making good use of her trademark powerful serve and striking the ball with consistent pace and depth to negate Sabalenka’s usual aggression.

The pair traded breaks at the start of the match before a close first set ensued. Both players held serve comfortably from then on before Rybakina stepped up the pressure on her opponent just as Sabalenka’s well-documented service problems began to rear their head in the eleventh game.

Rybakina punished some loose second serves from Sabalenka, and earned the crucial break with the added help of several untimely double-faults from the Belarusian, before serving out the opening set to win it 7-5.

The momentum was then with the Kazakh for the rest of the match, as Sabalenka’s unforced error count ratcheted up. Rybakina broke twice without reply to comfortably take the second stanza and close out a well-deserved and thoroughly impressive win.

Fine form in WTA 1000 tournaments continues for Elena Rybakina

“Thank you so much for everybody that came out to support us today,” Rybakina said in her on-court post-match interview.

“I played really well today. I served really well, so really happy with my performance today. It is always a tough battle against Aryna, so I always enjoy playing against her.”

Sabalenka’s first tournament as the World No 1 was a solid showing, having defeated 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, Katie Boulter and Jasmine Paolini en route to a quarter-final finish. But she will be disappointed with the manner in which this match got away from her so quickly.

Rybakina, meanwhile, continues her stellar form in 1000-level tournaments this season. She will face the ever-dangerous Liudmila Samsonova for a place in Sunday’s final as the Kazakh looks to add another success to an already highly impressive 2023 season.

Beijing WTA 1000, other quarter-final results (National Tennis Center, hard, USD 8.127.389, most recent results first):