Elena Rybakina fought back from a set and a break down to defeat Naomi Osaka in the quarter-finals of the Canadian Open.

The world number two won 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 in two hours and 36 minutes to book her place in the last four in Toronto.

Osaka made the perfect start, converting her first break point in the opening game before saving three such points in her first service game.

She managed to see out the first and moved into a 4-2 lead in the second after three consecutive breaks between the pair, two of which went in favour of Osaka.

However, Rybakina refused to give up and got the second back on serve before forcing a decider after winning the tie-break.

Rybakina held her nerve in the sixth game of the third set as she saved three break points, and she carried that momentum into the next game as she converted a crucial break point.

The 27-year-old sealed the victory with her second match point, getting over the line with her 15th ace of the contest.

"I was just trying to fight," Rybakina said in her on-court interview.

"The first game of the match was really tough because it cost me the set, and then in the second I was just trying to stay closer to the score, even if I'm losing. I'm super happy that I won this match."

63.0 - Since the WTA rankings were published in 1975, Elena Rybakina (63.0%, 29-17) only trails Serena Williams and Iga Swiatek for career win rate at WTA level against opponents who have held the World No. 1 ranking – minimum 25 matches. Belong.#NBO26 | @nbotoronto @WTA pic.twitter.com/g2N6si4qwe

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) August 12, 2026

Rybakina will face Coco Gauff in the semi-finals after the latter's last-eight clash with Belinda Bencic was a walkover following an injury to the Swiss player.

Rybakina unfazed against the big names

With her first career head-to-head win against Osaka, Rybakina has now defeated nine of the past 10 players who have held the WTA number one ranking, with Ashleigh Barty (0-2) the only exception.

Since the WTA rankings were published in 1975, Rybakina (63.0%, 29-17) only trails Serena Williams and Iga Swiatek for career win rate at WTA level against opponents who have held the top ranking (minimum 25 matches).

Rybakina (2023 and 2026) is also just one of two players to reach the semi-finals in Indian Wells, Miami and Montreal/Toronto in multiple seasons since the Tier format's introduction in 1990, along with Martina Hingis (1998 and 2000).

Gauff, meanwhile, is the first player to progress via walkover in a quarter-final at the Canadian Open since eventual finalist Jennifer Capriati in 1993.