Gauff advances to the Toronto semifinals following Bencic’s withdrawal
Second seed Elena Rybakina staged a remarkable comeback from a set and a breakdown to win 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in her Canadian Open quarter-final against Naomi Osaka in Toronto on Tuesday.
Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon and 2026 Australian Open champion, is set to face fourth seed Coco Gauff for a spot in the final following the withdrawal of Gauff’s opponent, Belinda Bencic, due to a hip injury.
In the inaugural tour-level encounter between Osaka and Rybakina, the Japanese player appeared to be on track for a comfortable win after breaking in the opening game and maintaining that lead to secure the first set.
The four-time Grand Slam champion surged to a 4-2 lead in the second set, but Rybakina rallied and emerged victorious in a tiebreaker to push the match into a deciding set.
In the third set, the Kazakh adeptly defended four break points before breaking Osaka’s serve in consecutive games, taking control and securing victory in two hours and 33 minutes.
This initial game of the match proved to be quite challenging, as it ultimately cost me the set,” Rybakina remarked. In that moment, I was simply attempting to remain nearer to the score, even in the face of defeat. It’s uncommon to go for so many years on tour without playing alongside certain players. She is an exceptional champion. She is a warrior. I anticipated that it would be a challenging match.
Earlier on Tuesday, Gauff progressed without hitting a ball after Bencic withdrew from their quarter-final, allowing the American additional time to refine her game in preparation for the U.S. Open. The 2023 U.S. Open champion has reached the 16th WTA 1000 semi-final of her career, as the 22-year-old pursues her first title of the year.
Gauff finished as the runner-up in both Miami and Rome, and her Wimbledon journey concluded with a narrow defeat in the semi-finals. She has incorporated new tactical elements into her game and has appeared formidable in Toronto, where she has not lost a set.
The only prior encounter between Gauff and Rybakina took place in Toronto, where the American triumphed in three sets in 2022.
