Rybakina Powers Past Pegula to Reach WTA Finals Championship
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A dominant serving performance propelled Elena Rybakina into the WTA Finals championship match, defeating Jessica Pegula in a hard-fought semifinal clash in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Rybakina secured a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory on Friday, extending her winning streak to an impressive ten matches.
rybakina’s Seamless Run Continues
According to observers, Rybakina has been the most consistent player throughout the tournament. “She seems like she’s been the most seamless throughout this entire tournament,†one analyst noted. “We all know how she can play, huge game, big serve. I think these conditions definitely suit her.†Rybakina’s recent success comes after a demanding Asian swing where qualifying for the WTA Finals was paramount.
the no. 6 seed’s victory over the No. 5 seeded Pegula marks her fourth consecutive win against a Top 10 opponent, bringing her streak to six overall. Rybakina finished the night with a remarkable 15 aces and five service breaks, showcasing her aggressive style of play. She will now face the winner of the match between No.1 Aryna sabalenka and No. 4 Amanda Anisimova in Saturday’s final.
A Battle of Contrasting styles
While Pegula entered the match with a 3-2 head-to-head advantage, thier previous encounters were largely before 2023.Rybakina had secured a straight-sets win earlier this year in a Billie Jean King Cup quarterfinal, signaling a shift in momentum.
Rybakina navigated the Serena Williams Group flawlessly, achieving a 3-0 record with wins over Anisimova, Iga Swiatek, and Ekaterina alexandrova. Pegula, meanwhile, finished second in the Stefanie Graf Group with a 2-1 record, upsetting defending champion Coco Gauff and Jasmine Pasolini before falling to Sabalenka. at 31 years old, pegula is the oldest player to reach the WTA Finals as Venus williams in 2017.
Match Analysis: A Test of resilience
“Tough loss,” Pegula conceded. “Kudos to her, she played some really good tennis, always serving well. I felt like in these conditions and on these court, especially with her serve, it’s tough when she’s getting free points every single game.†Despite acknowledging Rybakina’s strength, Pegula maintained she played at a high level.
Pegula strategically won the coin toss and chose to receive, facing the Hologic WTA Tour ace leader with 503 aces on the year. Rybakina promptly demonstrated her serving prowess,winning the first game in just over two minutes with two aces. While pegula briefly took the lead with a break, Rybakina quickly responded. The first set ultimately went to Pegula, who unleashed an ace of her own to close it out.
the second set saw Rybakina gain an early advantage, breaking Pegula to lead 4-1. Despite facing a set point at 5-4, Pegula fought back, capitalizing on a Rybakina double fault. However, Rybakina ultimately secured the set with a well-placed backhand, forcing a decisive third set.
The pivotal moment came in the sixth game of the third set, as Rybakina broke Pegula to take a 4-2 lead, a cushion she maintained to close out the match after 2 hours and 5 minutes of play.
Familiar Territory for Rybakina
Rybakina appears confident heading into the final, viewing the location as favorable. Living in Dubai, a mere 500-mile flight from Riyadh, and appreciating the ace-pleasant indoor court at King Saud University, she feels agreeable in the environment. This familiarity could prove crucial as she aims for the WTA Finals title.
