Elena Rybakina Outlines what Aryna Sabalenka could have Done Better During Their Clash in Cincinnati
Elena Rybakina closed her head-to-head record gap against Aryna Sabalenka to 5-7 after beating her in Cincinnati.

Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina (Image via X/sabalenka feeds, Jose Moron)
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Elena Rybakina produced an excellent performance at the Cincinnati Open, beating World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets to reach the semi-finals. She ended Sabalenka’s eight-match winning streak in Cincinnati. The 26-year-old dropped only five games against the Belarusian star in the quarter-finals.
Rybakina produced a high-quality display on the court on Friday (August 15) as she served efficiently and completely overpowered Sabalenka in every aspect of the game. She hit 11 aces and hit just one double fault, while Sabalenka had five break-point opportunities, didn’t convert one, and hit just four aces.
Rybakina took total control of the match, especially in the first set, winning 6-1. Sabalenka came out in the second set and ensured her serve was not broken until the sixth game. That gave the Kazakhstan star the command of the match, winning the tie 6-1, 6-4 in an hour and fourteen minutes.
The win was Rybakina’s 23rd career top-10 win. The last time she defeated a WTA elite player was in the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open against Australian Open champion Madison Keys. She produced a comeback victory against the American star winning the tie 6(3)-7, 6-4, 6-2.
During her on-court interview after her win against Sabalenka, Rybakina was asked how she had shockingly defeated the defending champion. The 26-year-old narrated that the main reason for overcoming Sabalenka was her service game:
Well, I’m happy with the serve, definitely. I think it was a key today because we’re both big hitters, and from the serve, it was depending a lot, and I think today I served really well, and of course, if Aryna serves well, then it’s also completely different. But today I felt like I served well and I was always having an advantage, so it helped to close out the match too, and yeah, I think overall from the baseline it was pretty good intensity, so hopefully I will continue like this.
Rybakina has closed the gap in her head-to-head record against Sabalenka to 5-7. The former World No.3 will now hope to win her first WTA 1000 of the season. Her brilliant run in Cincinnati is a continuation of her form since the start of the North American hard-court swing, reaching the semi-finals of the Canadian Open and Washington Open.
Elena Rybakina looks forward to a difficult match against Iga Swiatek at the Cincinnati final
Elena Rybakina will face Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Open. It will be their fourth meeting this year and Swiatek has won all their past three meetings, including the French Open fourth round clash.
However, Swiatek holds a slender 5-4 lead over the Kazakhstan star in their head-to-head record on tour. Both players are now seeking to reach the final of the WTA 1000 event for the first time in their careers.

During the aforementioned on-court interview, Rybakina was asked about her meeting with Swiatek. She revealed that she will try to focus on her game and recover well from her win over three-time Grand Slam winner Aryna Sabalenka:
Well, she’s a great player, so of course it’s going to be a difficult match. I will try to focus on myself and try to recover as well. So, yeah, hopefully I can show a good tennis [match] and thanks again for coming.
Rybakina will be looking forward to continuing with her form at the US Open. She has had success in other Grand Slams except the U.S. Open. She won the Wimbledon Championships in 2022, reached the Australian Open final in 2023, and then made it to the quarter-finals of the French Open in 2021 and 2024. But at the US Open, her best run has been, reaching the third round.
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