Elena Rybakina secured a hard-fought victory against Dayana Yastremska at the Canadian Open, triumphing in a demanding three-set contest to advance to the quarterfinals. The encounter, marked by intense rallies and shifting momentum, saw Rybakina emerge victorious with a final score of 5-7, 6-2, 7-5, underscoring her resilience on the court.
This crucial win not only guaranteed her passage further into the tournament but also provided significant ranking points for the 2022 Wimbledon champion, who was absent from the 2024 Canadian Open. Rybakina is now poised to improve her world ranking, potentially re-entering the top 10, and her next challenge in the quarterfinals will be against Marta Kostyuk, another player in strong form.
Rybakina’s serve, a consistent weapon in recent weeks, performed admirably, with 63% of her first serves landing in and 70% of those points converted. Early in the match, the Kazakhstani player created the first break point opportunity in the third game, signaling her intent to take control, though she was unable to capitalize on that initial chance.
The first set saw a tense exchange, with the score leveling at 3-3 before Rybakina secured the first break. However, Yastremska responded immediately with a break back, demonstrating her fighting spirit. The Ukrainian’s tenacity was further evident when she saved two set points at 5-4, before ultimately breaking Rybakina in the subsequent game to take the opening set 7-5.
Despite losing the first set, Rybakina commenced the second set with renewed vigor. Although Yastremska held her opening service game, Rybakina quickly gained the advantage, securing a crucial break in the third game. This pivotal break allowed the Kazakhstani to establish a 3-1 lead, which she maintained by dominating the rest of the set, ultimately winning six of the next seven games.
In the second set, Rybakina’s service game was exceptionally strong, conceding only five points on her serve and winning an impressive 76% of her service points. Her return game also proved highly effective, as she converted two of her four break opportunities and faced no break points against her, showcasing a comprehensive performance.
The decisive third set began with both players holding their serves relatively comfortably, indicating a heightened level of focus and defense. Rybakina managed to break serve in the fifth game to take the lead, but Yastremska immediately broke back on her first opportunity, emphasizing the back-and-forth intensity and the competitive nature of the contest.
As the match neared its conclusion, the tension mounted. At 4-5 and 15-30, Rybakina showed remarkable composure to hold her serve, keeping her hopes alive. When the score reached 5-5, Yastremska displayed a moment of hesitation, allowing Rybakina to seize the decisive break point. Displaying her characteristic poise, Rybakina then navigated a tight final game, saving a break point and converting her fourth match point to seal the hard-fought victory.
Looking ahead, Elena Rybakina will face 24th seed Marta Kostyuk in the quarterfinals. Kostyuk has been in impressive form, having overcome several formidable opponents on her path to this stage. Their head-to-head record stands at two wins for Rybakina and one for Kostyuk, with their last encounter being in the final of the Stuttgart Open 2024, where Rybakina emerged victorious.
