Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka staged a “crazy comeback,” saving four match points before beating Elena Rybakina 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (6) in the quarter-finals of the Berlin Open on Friday.
Sabalenka was 6-2 down in the final-set tie-breaker, but won six straight points to reach her eighth semi-final of the season.
“Elena is a great player and we’ve had a lot of tough battles,” Sabalenka said. “I have no idea how I was able to win those last points. I think I just got lucky.”
Photo: REUTERS
“I remember a long time ago when I was just starting, I won a lot of matches being down match points, and not so long ago I was thinking that it’s been a while since I’ve made a crazy comeback, and here I am,” she added.
Sabalenka went on to lose the semi-final to Czech Marketa Vondrousova yesterday, who won 6-2, 6-4 to head to the final.
Liudmila Samsonova also went through with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Amanda Anisimova to head to a semi-final against Wang Xinyu last night after press time. Wang’s quarter-final opponent, Paula Badosa, was on Friday forced to withdraw due to a right hip injury after losing the first set 6-1.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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