Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina powered into the semifinals of the Brisbane International after her opponent, Anastasia Potapova of Russia, retired mid-match due to injury. Rybakina ranked world No.4, demonstrated her dominance in a match that was cut short by Potapova’s unfortunate abdominal injury, with Rybakina leading 6-1 when her opponent retired.
Potapova took a medical timeout at 4-1 down after a fiercely contested first five games. The Kazakh player broke for a 3-1 lead after Potapova led 40-15 in a game that showcased Rybakina’s resilience. Following the injury timeout, Potapova retired, leading to Rybakina’s advancement to the semifinals.
Expressing her sentiments, Rybakina said, “I wish Anastasia Potapova a speedy recovery because she had a tough battle yesterday. I’m just happy I get to play another match, but not the way I wanted to win.”
In the semifinals, Rybakina is set to face 19-year-old Linda Noskova, who emerged victorious in an all-teenage battle against Mirra Andreeva with a score of 7-5, 6-3.
In another intense match, two-time champion Victoria Azarenka secured a spot in her fifth Brisbane International semifinal out of six campaigns. The No.8 seed triumphed after a marathon battle against No.3 seed Jelena Ostapenko, requiring two-and-a-half hours to complete a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 victory.
Azarenka showcased her tennis prowess, surviving a barrage of hard-hitting from Ostapenko. The 34-year-old recorded an impressive 16 aces, along with a total of 45 winners and 20 unforced errors, against her opponent’s 38.
–IANS
