Second-seeded Elena Rybakina staged a gritty comeback on Tuesday at the Canadian Open in Toronto, overcoming a set and a break deficit to defeat Naomi Osaka 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4. The victory, which took two hours and 33 minutes to complete, propels the 2022 Wimbledon and 2026 Australian Open champion into the next round.
Osaka appeared in control during their first tour-level encounter, securing an early break in the opening game to claim the first set. The four-time Grand Slam champion extended her momentum into the second, building a 4-2 lead. However, Rybakina fought back to force a tiebreaker, which she eventually won to keep her tournament hopes alive.
Reflecting on the match, Rybakina noted, “This first game of the match was really tough because it cost me the set. In the second, I was just trying to stay closer to the score, even if I’m losing.” She added, “It’s rare when you don’t play some players for so many years you’re on tour. She’s a great champion. She’s a fighter. I knew it would be a tough match.”
The deciding set saw Rybakina successfully defend four break points. She eventually seized control by breaking Osaka’s serve in back-to-back games to seal the win. Rybakina now advances to face fourth-seeded Coco Gauff, who earned a walkover into the semifinals after her opponent, Belinda Bencic, withdrew due to a hip injury.
Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, is currently chasing her first title of the year and has reached the 16th WTA 1000 semifinal of her career. The 22-year-old has looked dominant in Toronto, reaching the final four without dropping a set. This upcoming match marks a rematch of their 2022 encounter in Toronto, where Gauff emerged victorious in three sets.
The four-time Grand Slam champion then surged to a 4-2 lead in the second set, but Rybakina rallied and came out on top in a tiebreaker to force the decider.
The only previous meeting between Gauff and Rybakina was also in Toronto, where the American won in three sets in 2022.
Gauff finished runner-up in Miami and Rome before her Wimbledon campaign ended in a tight semifinal defeat.
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