The fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan) qualified for the semi-finals of the WTA 1000 Miami Open with a prize money of 8.8 million USD. The Kazakhstani tennis player eliminated Maria Sakkari (Greece) in the quarter-finals after 2-1 (7:5, 6:7, 6:4) in a match that lasted 2:49 hours.
The match was quite equal and started with both players winning their serve games. Elena Rybakina was first to break for 4:2, but her opponent returned the break immediately and equalized to 4:4. The Kazakhstani tennis player achieved another break in the 12th game of the set from her third breakpoint in the game to close the set at 7:5.
The second set started with an exchange of breaks after which Maria Sakkari took a lead by 3:1 and received two breakpoints in the 7th game, but failed to score them and in the next game, Elena Rybakina equalized after reaching her second break in the set. The Kazakhstani tennis player received two match points in the 10th game, but Maria Sakkari saved them and thus the set entered into a tiebreak, which she won by 7-4 and equalized the sets.
The third set was again quite equal with both players winning their serve games. Elena Rybakina was first to receive a breakpoint in the 7th game at 0-40. Maria Sakkari saved all three breakpoints, but after the deuce, her opponent reached another breakpoint, which this time realized to lead by 4:3. Elena Rybakina won her serve game and received two more match points at 5:4, but her opponent saved them again. Finally, the Kazakhstani tennis player won the match after winning her serve and closed the set at 6:4.
In the semi-finals, Elena Rybakina will face Victoria Azarenka (Belarus), who eliminated Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan) after 2-1 (7:6, 1:6, 6:3).
