Sabalenka pulls off ‘crazy comeback’ to defeat Rybakina at Berlin Open

BERLIN (AP) — 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 quarterfinals 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 semifinal 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.

“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.”

Sabalenka next faces Marketa Vondrousova, who defeated Ons Jabeur 6-4, 6-1. Liudmila Samsonova also went through with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Amanda Anisimova.

Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka returns a shot to Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, during their women’s singles quarterfinal match of the Berlin WTA tennis tournament, in Berlin, Friday, June 20, 2025. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)

Samsonova will next meet Wang Xinyu after her opponent, Paula Badosa, was forced to withdraw due to a right hip injury after losing the first set 6-1.