Elena Rybakina Defeats Osaka, Faces Gauff in Toronto Semi-Final
After beating Naomi Osaka to reach the Toronto semi-finals, Elena Rybakina can move within 4 points of No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka with a title run.
Rybakina closes in on world no. 1 with win over Osaka in Toronto...
World No. 2 Elena Rybakina battled past four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka on Tuesday to book a spot in the Toronto 1000 semi-finals, where she’ll meet No. 4 Coco Gauff. Rybakina came back after dropping the opening set.
The reigning Australian Open champion from Kazakhstan fired 13 aces and rallied for a 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 win.
American Coco Gauff, 22, advanced to her first Canadian Open semi-final without playing after Belinda Bencic pulled out with a hip injury.
Bencic said in a statement: “I'm really sorry to not be able to compete. I tried everything possible to be ready. Looking forward to being back in Toronto next time.”
“Super happy. It was a very difficult match,” Rybakina said after a tight battle lasting 2hr 33min.
“In the first set (I made) a few mistakes, a poor start.
“It was a really tough one but I'm glad I could turn it around, I don't yet know how, but I think my serve helped me a little bit.”
Gauff, who won the 2023 US Open and the 2025 French Open, beat Rybakina the last time they met. That was in the 2022 Toronto third round – their only prior matchup.
“She's a fighter,” Rybakina said of Gauff.
“I definitely need to bring my energy and serve well.”
The other semi-final on Wednesday features Poland’s Iga Swiatek against Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.
Osaka and Rybakina played a dramatic first-ever tour-level clash..
“We practised couple of times before so I more or less knew how the ball was going to come, what to expect,” Rybakina said.
“In some moments my energy wasn't there but I'm glad in the end it went my way.”
'Just keep going'
Rybakina got off to a shaky start, double-faulting to give Osaka an early break. The former world No.1 held firm the rest of the way and took the first set in 42 minutes.
Get well soon, Belinda ❤️🩹
— wta (@WTA) August 11, 2026
Coco Gauff advances into the semifinal after Bencic is forced to withdraw due to a hip injury.#NBO26 pic.twitter.com/PZi3JTCnDQ
The second set was a rollercoaster with both players trading breaks twice. In the tiebreak, Rybakina never fell behind and sealed it with a forehand winner to send it to a decider.
“I was trying to stay close on the score, trying not to think if I make a mistake, just keep going,” Rybakina said.
Rybakina saved all four break points she faced in the sixth game to hold.
The Kazakh grabbed the lead at 4-3 after Osaka sprayed a forehand smash wide on game point, then followed it with more forehand errors long and wide.
Rybakina closed it out with a second-serve ace, and she didn’t drop a single point on her first serve in the final set – 18 for 18.
World No. 13 Osaka is still chasing her first title since the 2021 Australian Open.
Rybakina is now closing in on the world No. 1 spot for the first time in her career.
If the two-time Grand Slam champion wins in Toronto, she’ll move to within four ranking points of Aryna Sabalenka, who exited in the round of 16.
No comments:
Leave comment here