Defiant Rybakina holds out against Jabeur to reach Abu Dhabi semis
Elena Rybakina fought off a determined Ons Jabeur to reach the semi-finals of the Abu Dhabi Open after a marathon match.
The defending champion had to go the distance on Thursday but dug in to earn a 6-2 4-6 7-6 (7-4) win in two hours and 13 minutes.
Rybakina cruised through the first set in just 29 minutes, racing into a 3-0 lead before biding her time to get another break in the final game to take it.
However, after facing just one break point in the first set, she was unable to hold her serve in the opening game of the second, with Jabeur starting her fightback.
The Tunisian successfully defended her serve three times to reach 5-1, but Rybakina ticked off three consecutive games to force a nervy ending before Jabeur forced the decider.
There was little to split the pair in the final set, with one break apiece until the final game. Jabeur staved off two match points in the penultimate game, but tripped up in the tie-break, giving up a 4-2 lead.
Rybakina would not be denied from there, teeing up a last-four clash with Belinda Bencic.
Pulling out ALL the stops!
— wta (@WTA) February 6, 2025
Elena Rybakina fights her way into the semifinals after defeating Jabeur 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(4). #MubadalaAbuDhabiOpen pic.twitter.com/LOODQc18cm
Data Debrief: Rybakina the tie-break specialist
Rybakina enhanced her reputation as a tie-break specialist with Thursday's win.
She is the only player on the WTA Tour to have won at least one match in a third-set tie-break in each of the last five years.
She beat Anastasija Sevastova at Eastbourne in 2021, Laura Siegemund at Portoroz in 2022, Daria Kasatkina at Montreal and Maria Sakkari at the WTA Finals in 2023, then Victoria Azarenka in Miami in 2024.