TORONTO – Elena Rybakina staged a remarkable comeback from a set and a break down to defeat Naomi Osaka and book a blockbuster semi-final clash with Coco Gauff at the Canadian Open, while the American advanced after Belinda Bencic withdrew injured before their quarterfinal. The second-seeded Kazakh showed tremendous resilience to overcome four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in a gripping contest lasting two hours and 33 minutes at Sobeys Stadium. Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon and 2026 Australian Open champion, looked destined for defeat after Osaka claimed the opening set and surged to a 4-2 lead in the second. However, the former Wimbledon champion fought back brilliantly, forcing a tiebreak before dominating the decisive set to seal victory.
The turning point came after Rybakina successfully saved four break points in the final set before breaking Osaka’s serve in successive games to complete an impressive comeback. “This first game of the match was really tough because it cost me the set,” Rybakina said. “In the second, I just tried to stay close to the score, even when I was behind. She’s a great champion and a fighter, so I knew it would be a very difficult match.”
Earlier, fourth seed Coco Gauff progressed to the semi-finals without hitting a ball after Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic withdrew because of a hip injury. The walkover sends the 2023 US Open champion into the 16th WTA 1000 semifinal of her career as she continues her search for a first title of the 2026 season. Gauff has enjoyed an impressive run in Toronto, reaching the last four without dropping a set after runner-up finishes in Miami and Rome and a semi-final appearance at Wimbledon. The upcoming semi-final promises to be a fascinating contest. Gauff won the pair’s only previous meeting, a three-set battle at the Canadian Open in Toronto in 2022, giving the American a slight psychological edge heading into another high-profile encounter.
AloJapan.com