Rybakina szybko w ćwierćfinale Miami po wygranej z Gibson (6:2, 6:2)

Elena Rybakina advanced to the quarter-finals of the Miami Open on Monday, defeating Talia Gibson 6-2, 6-2 in just 64 minutes. The victory solidifies her position as a leading contender in the tournament and maintains her world No. 2 ranking, recently attained after surpassing Iga Świątek.

Rybakina, seeded third in the tournament, demonstrated dominant form against Gibson, a 21-year-old Australian who had previously upset seeded players Naomi Osaka and Iva Jović to reach this stage. Rybakina secured an early break and maintained control throughout the first set, closing it out with a score of 6-2. The second set followed a similar pattern, with Rybakina breaking Gibson’s serve and quickly establishing a decisive lead.

“I think overall I was serving well in all the matches I’ve played here, and similarly in the important moments, I was aggressive and winning key points,” Rybakina said following the match. She emphasized the importance of her serve as a key weapon, particularly given the faster court conditions in Miami compared to Indian Wells.

The Kazakh player highlighted the subtle differences in playing conditions. “It’s my biggest weapon, and I’m trying to be fresh, to move well, because here it’s a little bit faster than in the previous tournament in Indian Wells. The ball doesn’t bounce so high. So I would say it’s a little bit challenging, but I’m trying to do my best and hopefully win this match,” she stated.

Rybakina’s path to the quarter-finals included a straightforward victory over fellow Kazakh Julia Putintseva in the second round and a comfortable win against Marta Kostyuk. Her next opponent will be Jessica Pegula.

The Miami Open follows closely on the heels of the Indian Wells tournament, where Rybakina was defeated in the final by Aryna Sabalenka. That match was a rematch of the Australian Open final, which Rybakina had won earlier this year. Sabalenka’s victory in Indian Wells avenged her loss in Melbourne and marked her first win over Rybakina in four finals encounters. According to reports, Sabalenka had been haunted by the memory of the match point she lost to Rybakina at the Australian Open.

The rivalry between Rybakina and Sabalenka has been described as the WTA’s best, with both players demonstrating a high level of competition. Sabalenka defeated Zheng Qinwen in two sets at the Miami Open, securing her place in the quarter-finals.