Aryna Sabalenka outlasted Elena Rybakina 6-2 3-6 6-3 to reach the WTA Finals last four in a win-or-bust group match that had been halted the day before due to stormy weather in Cancún.
Under bright sunshine but still unrelenting winds, world number one Sabalenka unleashed an ace out wide on match point to send fourth seed Rybakina packing from the year-end tournament.
“I didn’t really think a lot about this match,” Sabalenka told Tennis Channel. “I was just like, whatever. I’m going to go out there and do everything I can and if I win, I win and if I lose, I go home on vacation,” she said with a laugh. “I was just trying to play as good as I can.“
Belarusian Sabalenka joins American group winner Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals of the event between the world’s top eight players. Kazakhstan’s Rybakina and eighth-seeded Greek Maria Sakkari were eliminated from the group stage.
In the first match of the other four-player group, Coco Gauff came from a set and 5-6 down to eliminate Markéta Vondroušová and reach the doorstep of the semis.
The US Open champion shook off a dispiriting straight sets loss to Iga Świątek on Wednesday and showed great heart to turn the tables on Wimbledon champion Vondroušová amid pauses in play due to rain and swirling winds.
With the Czech serving for the match, the American teenager dug deep, walloping a forehand at the net to break serve and send the second set to a tiebreak that she won with conviction.
In the decider Gauff, seeded third, broke Vondroušová at love for a 3-2 lead she would not relinquish, pumping her fist and letting out a scream when her opponent’s forehand sailed long on match point.
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As a result of that match, Świątek, who plays Ons Jabeur in the final match of the night, advances to the semis. The Tunisian Jabeur would need to beat the second-seeded Pole in straight sets to advance in the group and deny Gauff a place in the semis.