What Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina said about their rivalry before Miami Open semi-final
Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina have spoken about their rivalry ahead of their blockbuster semi-final showdown at the 2026 Miami Open.
The duo have been the two best players on the WTA Tour so far in 2026, and this will be their third encounter in less than two months.
Rybakina defeated Sabalenka in a three-set Australian Open final at the end of January to claim her second Grand Slam title.
Earlier this month, Sabalenka hit back by overcoming Rybakina in a thrilling Indian Wells final after saving a match point in the third set tiebreak.
Sabalenka has been the world No 1 since October 2024, while Rybakina climbed to her career-high ranking of No 2 after Indian Wells.
Rybakina is seeded third in Miami, though, as the seedings were set before the latest WTA Rankings update, and she landed in the top half of the draw with Sabalenka.
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The pair set up their semi-final meeting with their quarter-final wins on Thursday as Rybakina downed Jessica Pegula and Sabalenka saw off Hailey Baptiste.
Here is what they said ahead of the latest chapter in their rivalry:
Sabalenka: “I love it [the rivalry], I love it so much, because I feel like when someone pushes you to the limit, this is the moment where you grow, where you become a better player, and where you actually test your level, your strength. And I absolutely love it.
“We’ve played a lot of matches recently, and all of them have been a battle, all of them have been a show, and I’m super excited facing her and just can’t wait to step on court tomorrow.”
Rybakina: “I’m just on the path of this, let’s say consistency. This season is not even halfway yet. And it’s great to play against Aryna, always pushing each other. And you can see what you need to improve.
“So it’s gonna be another match where I will need to serve well and take care of my game, knowing that on the other side she can hit a lot of good shots, also winners, good serve. So we’ll try to focus on myself more.”
Asked on Tennis Channel if she would like “revenge” for her loss to Sabalenka in Indian Wells, Rybakina said: “Well, not necessarily.
“I want to play, of course, any top player straight away. Aryna of course – I would prefer maybe to play in the final if she wins.
“But for me, honestly, it’s not really about revenge. I had a lot of opportunities [in Indian Wells] and it was in the third set kind of a roulette in Indian Wells and of course I just know we push each other and can learn from these matches.
“But I want to come out from the match, no matter the result, and be happy with what happened on the court, what worked, maybe some little improvements. It’s already a plus and hopefully we’ll play many more times.”
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