Second seed Elena Rybakina staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Naomi Osaka 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in a thrilling Canadian Open quarterfinal in Toronto on Tuesday.
The Kazakh star recovered from a set and a break down to secure victory after two hours and 33 minutes and book a semifinal meeting with fourth seed Coco Gauff.
Osaka Takes Early Control
Osaka made a fast start in the first tour-level meeting between the two players.
The Japanese four-time Grand Slam champion broke Rybakina in the opening game and maintained her advantage throughout the first set to take it 6-4.
First-Set Highlights
- Osaka broke in the opening game.
- Rybakina struggled to find a way back into the set.
- Osaka closed out the opening set 6-4.
Rybakina Turns the Match Around
Osaka continued her momentum in the second set, moving into a 4-2 lead and appearing on course for a straight-sets victory.
Rybakina, however, refused to give up. The 2022 Wimbledon champion fought her way back into the set and eventually won the tiebreak 7-5 to level the match.
The comeback forced a deciding set and shifted the momentum firmly in Rybakina’s favour.
Rybakina Seals Victory in Decider
The third set featured another intense battle as Osaka attempted to regain control.
Rybakina showed tremendous composure, successfully defending four break points before taking advantage of opportunities on Osaka’s serve.
She broke Osaka in consecutive games to establish control and eventually closed out the match 6-4.
Match Facts
- Rybakina def. Osaka: 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4
- Match duration: 2 hours 33 minutes
- Venue: Toronto
- Round: Canadian Open quarterfinal
- Rybakina seed: No. 2
- Osaka: Four-time Grand Slam champion
Rybakina Praises Osaka’s Fighting Spirit
Rybakina acknowledged the difficulty of facing Osaka, particularly after falling behind early in the contest.
She said she focused on staying close to the score in the second set and recognised Osaka as a great champion and fighter.
The victory underlined Rybakina’s resilience and ability to recover from difficult positions against top-level opposition.
Gauff Advances Without Playing
Earlier on Tuesday, Coco Gauff reached the semifinals without hitting a ball after her quarterfinal opponent, Belinda Bencic, withdrew because of a hip injury.
The result gives Gauff additional time to prepare for her semifinal against Rybakina and continue building momentum ahead of the US Open.
Gauff’s Recent Form
- 2023 US Open champion
- Reached the Miami and Rome finals this year
- Reached the Wimbledon semifinals
- Has not dropped a set in Toronto
- Reaches her 16th WTA 1000 semifinal
Rybakina and Gauff Set for Semifinal Rematch
Rybakina and Gauff will now meet for a place in the Canadian Open final.
Their only previous meeting came in Toronto in 2022, when Gauff defeated Rybakina in three sets.
With both players entering the semifinal in strong form, the upcoming clash promises another high-level contest as Gauff looks for her first title of the year and Rybakina aims to continue her impressive 2026 campaign.