Aryna Sabalenka dug deep into her champion’s toolkit to pull off a stunning comeback against Elena Rybakina, saving four match points to win 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (6) in a gripping Berlin Open quarterfinal clash.
With the match seemingly slipping away at 2-6 in the final-set tiebreak, the world No.1 summoned a storm of resilience, turning defence into defiance. A fortuitous net cord helped stall Rybakina’s charge, before Sabalenka rattled off five straight points to clinch victory and leave the 2022 Wimbledon champion reeling.
The contest was a rollercoaster from the start. Rybakina broke first in the opening set and led 4-2, only for Sabalenka to respond immediately with her trademark power. A tense tiebreak followed, where Sabalenka edged ahead 8-6 to take the lead.
But Rybakina wasn’t done. She raced through the second set with clean ball striking and composure, breaking twice to level the match 6-3. Her early break in the third set looked decisive until Sabalenka broke for 5-4, only to be broken back when serving for the win.
At 6-5 down, Sabalenka held her nerve to force the breaker. What followed was a masterclass in clutch tennis. “Honestly, I have no idea how I won those last points. I think I just got lucky,” she admitted. “It’s been a while since I had a crazy comeback like that. I’m proud I kept fighting till the very last point.”
Next up, Sabalenka faces Czech star Marketa Vondrousova, who eased past Ons Jabeur in straight sets in a rematch of the 2023 Wimbledon final. Vondrousova is chasing her first final since lifting the trophy at SW19.
