Elena Rybakina has become the first player since Serena Williams at 2016 Wimbledon to have five matches with at least 10 aces in the same tournament, per OptaAce. On Thursday night, Rybakina fired 10 aces in a 7-6 (3) 6-4 win over Jessica Pegula in the Miami Open semifinal.
In her first two Miami matches, Rybakina served 14 aces against Anna Kalinskaya in the second round and the Kazakh also had 12 aces versus Paula Badosa. In her next three matches, Rybakina served 10 aces against Elise Mertens, Martina Trevisan and Pegula.
Rybakina using well the court conditions in Miami
The court conditions in Miami are quick and Rybakina is using it extremely well to her advantage.
“I’m trying to go more [for the serve], but I think here, after the bounce, the ball is a bit faster. That’s why I can get maybe more free points. But still, I would say that it’s kind of returnable, but yeah, a bit faster than in Indian Wells,” Rybakina said after beating Trevisan.
Meanwhile, Rybakina is now just a win away from completing the Sunshine Double. After losing her first two matches against Pegula, Rybakina beat the American for the first time in Miami. Rybakina was three times down by a break in the first set and twice down by a break in the second set but still managed to win in two sets.
“Jessica, she played really well some moments. It’s not easy to play against her because she keeps the ball really low, and it’s difficult to redirect the ball. I was playing today better when I was down. Then I think that I was doing everything correct.
It was just not enough maybe energy. Maybe I was getting a bit mad when I was down. So I was trying to push myself,” Rybakina said after beating Pegula. Rybakina plays in the Miami final either Petra Kvitova or Sorana Cirstea.
