World number one tennis star Aryna Sabalenka and world number two Elena Rybakina don dey set for another big fight as dem go clash for the Miami Open semifinal on Thursday. Dis match na like replay of dia Australian Open final wey happen for January, and dem just play final for Indian Wells dis same month. Sabalenka, wey be defending champion for Miami, win her quarterfinal match against American Hailey Baptiste with 6-4, 6-4. Rybakina com win her own match against another American, Jessica Pegula, with 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Sabalenka talk say she dey excited to face Rybakina again. “We don play plenty matches recently, and all of dem don be serious battle, all of dem don be show,” Sabalenka tell Tennis Channel. “I dey super-excited to face her.” Sabalenka dey just two wins away from completing wetin dem dey call “Sunshine Double” – to win both Indian Wells and Miami for the same year. If she win, she go join only four other women for history wey don achieve dis feat: Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek.
For her quarterfinal match, Baptiste wey be 45th-ranked player for world, no fit convert three break points wey she get for Sabalenka first two service games. Sabalenka finally break Baptiste serve when the American do double fault for set point. For second set, Sabalenka get early break, but Baptiste break back and hold her serve well to level at 4-4. But as Baptiste dey serve at 4-5 to stay for the match, she open with three straight double faults. Sabalenka use dat opportunity well and convert her second match point with powerful return.
“She really push me well,” Sabalenka talk after the match. “The rhythm, the heaviness of her shots na something else. I dey super happy say I manage hold the pressure and get the win.” Now she go face Rybakina wey be familiar opponent. Rybakina don win Sabalenka for Australian Open final for January – na dat one be Sabalenka only defeat for 2026. But Sabalenka don pay her back with victory for Indian Wells final dis month.
Rybakina, wey be Moscow-born Kazakh player, shrug off slow start to win her fifth straight victory over Pegula. Pegula wey win WTA title for Dubai last month, break twice to jump to 4-0 lead and take the opening set for just 35 minutes. But Rybakina begin find her rhythm and break for 4-2 edge on the way to force third set. She gain control of the decider with opening break.
“She start to play well, and I dey rush small and frustrated, but I dey happy say I manage bounce back and turn am around for second set,” Rybakina talk. Rybakina wey be seeded third for tournament, just rise to number two for world ranking for first time dis week.
For men side, 28th-seeded Arthur Fils from France save four match points on the way to win over 22nd-seeded American Tommy Paul with 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (8/6). Fils trail 6-2 for third-set tiebreaker but save four straight match points before win for two hours and 49 minutes. “Na dog fight and I no dey back down from fight,” Fils talk. “Even if I lose, na okay, I just fight the best wey I fit.” The 21-year-old add say “Na the best result wey I don get for my life so far.” He reach semifinal of ATP Masters 1000 event for first time, where he go face 21st-seeded Czech Jiri Lehecka.
Sabalenka don also reveal secret to how she dey curse for court without referee catch her. The Belarusian star talk say she dey curse in Portuguese instead of English. “Dis na the most beautiful language for cursing, guys,” Sabalenka talk during press conference for Miami Open. “I love am. And now e dey naturally come out of my mouth.” She joke say now dat her secret don come out, she go find new way to avoid penalties.
Sabalenka connection to Portuguese language come from her romantic life. She dey engaged to Brazilian businessman Georgios Frangulis, wey be CEO of Oakberry and co-owner of French club Le Mans FC. The need to communicate with her fiancé for his native tongue don make her learn the language. Sabalenka share say she don dey use Duolingo app to study Portuguese for 199 consecutive days. But she laugh say while she dey feel fluent for the app, her mind dey go blank when she off her phone, except for the swear words.
Sabalenka don also address ongoing off-court drama, express uncertainty about ever returning to Dubai Tennis Championships. Her hesitation follow heavy criticism from tournament director Salah Tahlak regarding her withdrawal earlier dis year. For February, Sabalenka withdraw from WTA 1000 event, cite minor hip injury and need to prioritize her health amidst grueling schedule. Tahlak publicly call the late withdrawals of Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek “unfortunate surprise” and demand harsher punishments, including deducting ranking points.
“E ridiculous,” Sabalenka talk before Miami Open. “I no think say he show himself for the best way possible. For me e dey actually so sad to see say the tournament directors and the tournaments no dey protect us as players. Dem just care about their sales, about their tournament and dat na all. I no sure if I ever want go there after his comment. For me e too much.”
The match between Sabalenka and Rybakina go happen Thursday night for Hard Rock Stadium – home of NFL Miami Dolphins. Overall head-to-head record between dem dey stand at 9-7 for Sabalenka favor, though Rybakina don win three of their last five meetings. Sabalenka dominance over everyone except Rybakina continue for Wednesday with straight-set victory over Hailey Baptiste. Sabalenka no don lose set to anyone except Rybakina since early November. Rybakina dey 21-4 for the year, after defeating Jessica Pegula on Wednesday in three sets.
Other WTA semifinal for Thursday go be between Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova – another rematch from January Australian Open. For men quarterfinals, Jannik Sinner go face Frances Tiafoe, and Alexander Zverev go take on Francisco Cerundolo. The winner of Sabalenka-Rybakina match go face either Gauff or Muchova for Miami Open final.
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