Elena Rybakina advances to Miami Open semi-finals, surpassing Li Na's record in Asian tennis history Elena Rybakina secured her place in tennis history by defeating Jessica Pegula in three sets at the Miami Open, earning a semi-final berth. The Kazakh player, ranked world number two, came from a set down to claim a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory. Pegula, seeded higher, had multiple break-point chances in the second set but failed to convert them, allowing Rybakina to break her serve in the subsequent game. Rybakina closed the second set decisively and broke early in the third to take control of the match. This win marks Rybakina’s 13th appearance in the semi-finals of a WTA 1000 event, surpassing the record previously held by Li Na, the former two-time Grand Slam champion. Li Na, who represented China, reached the semi-finals of a WTA 1000 event only twice—first at the 2006 German Open and again at the 2014 Indian Wells Open. Rybakina’s achievement highlights her dominance in the format, as she now holds the distinction of the most semi-final appearances by an Asian player since the WTA 1000 series began in 2009. Rybakina’s Miami run includes victories over Yulia Putintseva, Marta Kostyuk, Talia Gibson, and Pegula. Her semi-final opponents will be either Hailey Baptiste or Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one. A potential clash with Sabalenka would mark their third meeting of the year, following their encounters in the Australian Open final and the Indian Wells final. Rybakina emerged victorious in their first meeting, securing her second Grand Slam title, but Sabalenka later avenged the loss in Indian Wells, defeating her 3-6, 6-3, 7-6. Li Na’s only WTA 1000 title came at the 2012 Cincinnati Open, where she defeated Venus Williams in the final.#miami_open #wta_1000 #jessica_pegula #elena_rybakina #li_na
