Jessica Pegula has bowed out of the Miami Open at the quarterfinal stage, losing to Elena Rybakina.
Pegula and Rybakina have formed an intriguing rivalry in recent times, having now met three times on the WTA Tour in 2026.
Worryingly for the American, she has lost all three matches, along with their WTA Finals semifinal at the end of the 2025 season.
She won their first two meetings back in 2022, but Rybakina has completely flipped their rivalry, having also defeated her nemesis at Indian Wells and the Australian Open this year.
Pegula was frustrated after losing to Rybakina at the Miami Open, but the home favorite has admirably decided to remain upbeat following her exit.
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Jessica Pegula wishes Elena Rybakina luck at the Miami Open
Pegula wrote on her Instagram after the loss: “I love playing here in Miami Open and even though it didn’t go my way yesterday, I love the privilege of being able to compete and go through those tough moments on court.
“There is nothing better. Thank you so much for the support, good luck to Elena rest of the way!”
It’s a classy and heartfelt touch from Pegula towards her rival, who now meets top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals.
Sabalenka is currently ranked first in the world, just ahead of Rybakina in second, and is the defending champion in Miami.
In a memorable run last year, Pegula knocked out Alexandra Eala and Emma Raducanu before losing the final to Sabalenka.
Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka set for very rare WTA match
A Sabalenka versus Rybakina semifinal should be fantastic viewing, but it has also helped create a very rare scenario.
Excluding the WTA Finals, it represents the first time since the 1998 US Open semifinals that the world numbers one and two will meet before a final.
All the way back then in New York, Martina Hingis and Jana Novotna went head-to-head, with the former emerging victorious before losing in the final to Lindsay Davenport.
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At the very same tournament, Hingis and Novotna clinched the doubles title, while future six-time champion Serena Williams made her debut.
Williams reached the third round in the singles draw, but managed to clinch the mixed doubles title with Max Mirnyi.
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