MIAMI: World number one Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina on Wednesday booked a blockbuster semi-final at the Miami Open in a rerun of their Melbourne Grand Slam decider.

Defending champion Sabalenka held off big-hitting 45th-ranked American Hailey Baptiste 6-4, 6-4.

World number two Rybakina beat fifth-seeded American Jessica Pegula — runner-up to Sabalenka last year — 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Rybakina beat Sabalenka in a nail-biting Australian Open final in January — the world number one’s only defeat in 2026 — but the Belarusian avenged it with victory in the Indian Wells final this month.

“We’ve been playing a lot of matches, recently actually, and all of them have been a battle, all of them been a show,” Sabalenka told the Tennis Channel. “I’m super-excited facing her.”

Sabalenka is now two wins away from completing the “Sunshine Double” of Indian Wells and Miami.

Baptiste, playing her first WTA 1000 quarter-final, failed to convert three break points in Sabalenka’s first two service games.

Sabalenka finally broke Baptiste when the American double-faulted on set point.

Sabalenka gained an early break in the second, but Baptiste broke back and held confidently to level at 4-4.

But as she served at 4-5 to stay in the match, the American opened with three straight double faults. Sabalenka pounced, converting her second match point with a blistering return.

“She really pushed me,” Sabalenka said. “The rhythm, the heaviness of her shots is incredible. I’m super happy that I was able to hold the pressure and to get the win.”

She’ll now face a familiar foe in Rybakina, who shrugged off a slow start to post her fifth straight win over Pegula — a streak that includes a semi-final victory at the Australian Open and a quarter-final win at Indian Wells.

Pegula, who won last month’s WTA title in Dubai, broke twice to jump to a 4-0 lead and took the opening set in 35 minutes.

But Moscow-born Kazakh Rybakina was finding her rhythm and broke for a 4-2 edge on the way to forcing a third set, gaining control of the decider with an opening break.

“She started playing well, and I was a bit rushing and frustrated, but I’m happy that I managed to bounce back and turn it around in the second set,” said Rybakina, who is seeded third despite rising to No. 2 in the world for the first time this week.

Fils tops paul

In the men’s draw, 28th-seeded Arthur Fils of France saved four match points on the way to a 6-7(3/7), 7-6(7/4), 7-6(8/6) victory over 22nd-seeded American Tommy Paul.

Fils trailed 6-2 in the third-set tiebreaker, saving four straight match points before prevailing in two hours and 49 minutes.

“It was a dog fight and I never back down from a fight,” Fils said. “Even if I lose, it’s OK, I just fought the best that I could.

“That’s the best result I’ve had in my life so far,” the 21-year-old added.

He reached the semi-finals of an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time, where he’ll face 21st-seeded Czech Jiri Lehecka.

Fils beat Lehecka in the quarter-finals in Doha last month.

Lehecka ended the dream run of qualifier Martin Landaluce, beating the 151st-ranked Spaniard 7-6(7/1), 7-5.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2026