MADRID: World number one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/sabalenka-into-third-straight-brisbane-final-ahead-of-australian-open" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Aryna Sabalenka</a>&nbsp;overcame Naomi Osaka 6-7 (1/7), 6-3, 6-2 in a gripping battle on Monday to reach the Madrid Open quarter-finals. Sabalenka, who has claimed titles at Miami, Indian Wells and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/sabalenka-into-third-straight-brisbane-final-ahead-of-australian-open" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Brisbane</a>&nbsp;this year, was tested by her Japanese opponent in the fourth-round clash but came back from a set and a break down to triumph. &quot;I was just trying to take one ball at a time and my team was there for me, they really (pushed) me to keep fighting, and I&#39;m really happy that I didn&#39;t give up and I was pushing until the very last point,&quot; said Sabalenka. The first set between the two four-time Grand Slam winners was tight, with only one break point forced, by Sabalenka, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/naomi-osaka-rallies-to-beat-leylah-fernandez-at-wuhan-open" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Osaka</a>&nbsp;saved to hold for 2-1. Osaka dominated in the tie-break, ripping into a 5-0 lead and then triumphing when Sabalenka lashed a return wide. Sabalenka stepped up a gear in the second frame, although world number 15 Osaka dug deep to survive three break points and then managed to engineer a break for herself to take a 2-1 lead. However, the Belarusian immediately broke to love and then again in the eighth game, serving out to take the second set. Only&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/rybakina-wins-ningbo-title-to-close-in-on-wta-finals" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Elena Rybakina</a>&nbsp;has beaten Sabalenka this year, in the Australian Open final, and the 27-year-old dominated in the third set, securing breaks in the fifth and seventh games while Osaka could not put pressure on her opponent&#39;s serve. Sabalenka sealed her victory serving to love with an ace to reach the last eight, where she will face American Hailey Baptiste. &quot;She&#39;s an incredible player, we had a really tight match in Miami, and especially here in Madrid I think this surface suits her game,&quot; added Sabalenka. Later, Rybakina and Coco Gauff are in action against Anastasia Potapova and Linda Noskova respectively, while in the men&#39;s draw second seed Alexander Zverev faces Frenchman Terence Atmane in the third round. Casper Ruud eased to a 6-3, 6-1 win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to reach the last 16, while Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Daniel Merida 6-4, 6-2.

Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka returns the ball to Japan’s Naomi Osaka during their 2026 WTA Tour Madrid Open tennis tournament women's singles match at the Caja Magica in Madrid, on April 27, 2026. (AFP)

Tennis

The Belarusian rallied from a set down to defeat her Japanese opponent in three sets, reaching the Madrid Open quarterfinals after a hard-fought fourth-round clash on Monday.

Aryna Sabalenka downs Naomi Osaka to reach Madrid Open quarter-finals

NINGBO: Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina stormed back from a set down to capture the 10th title of her career with a 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova in the Ningbo Open final in China on Sunday.&nbsp;Rybakina fired 39 winners, including 11 aces, and won 88 percent of her first-serve points against Russia&#39;s Alexandrova to clinch her second trophy of the season.&nbsp;The world number nine from Kazakhstan strengthened her chances of securing a WTA Finals qualification spot.&nbsp;But she will need to reach the semi-finals at next week&#39;s Pan-Pacific Open in Tokyo to move past Russia&#39;s Mirra Andreeva in the race for a place in Riyadh next month.&nbsp;&quot;I would like to congratulate Ekaterina for the great week and the great season so far and wish her good luck in the next season,&quot; said Rybakina after accepting the trophy.&nbsp;&quot;Thank you so much to my team who are always pushing me to be better, especially at the end of the season, it&#39;s not easy.&nbsp;&quot;But without you I will not be here. Hopefully we can push a little more next week.&quot;&nbsp;Rybakina responded to dropping the opening set by winning nine games in a row, as she levelled the match and surged to a 3-0 advantage in the decider.&nbsp;She was nearly unplayable in the second and third sets and sealed the victory in just under two hours.&nbsp;&quot;I want to congratulate Elena on the amazing week and the amazing game that she played today,&quot; said Alexandrova, who at the age of 30 was making her top-10 debut this week.&nbsp;&quot;I wish her luck until the end of the season and for the next year.&rdquo;

Elena Rybakina fought back from a set down to beat Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 in the Ningbo Open final, clinching her 10th career title and boosting her WTA Finals qualification hopes.


Articles tagged with "Elena Rybakina"

Aryna Sabalenka downs Naomi Osaka to reach Madrid Open quarter-finals

Rybakina wins Ningbo title to close in on WTA Finals

Aryna Sabalenka downs Naomi Osaka to reach Madrid Open quarter-finals