RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Elena Rybakina used a big serve to defeat Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in Friday’s semifinals to advance to the WTA Finals title match for the first time.
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka will then face Amanda Anisimova in the second semifinal. It’s a rematch of the US Open final.
Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion from Kazakhstan, won all four matches this week to advance from the group stage for the first time.
She hit 15 aces against Pegula and clinched the victory on her first match point.
“It wasn’t easy to come back, but I’m happy that I managed to find my way in the second set and win this three-set battle,” Rybakina said. “Saab helped me when I needed it.”
Pegula reached the final in 2023, but lost to Iga Swiatek 6-1, 6-0.
