Elena Rybakina is into the final of the WTA Finals, where she will play Amanda Anisimova or Aryna Sabalenka.
The Kazakh star fought back from a set down for the second time this week, as Rybakina defeated Jessica Pegula, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Rybakina was impressive throughout, hitting 15 aces against her American opponent to reach the WTA Finals showpiece match.
Speaking to Sky Sports, former British star Laura Robson shared what she noticed about Rybakina’s game during her three-set win over Pegula.
Robson claimed the Kazakh star can do something which is ‘impossible’ for any of her rivals to deal with.
Laura Robson says it’s ‘impossible’ to read Elena Rybakina’s first serve
The Brit was mightily impressed with Rybakina’s serving performance against the world number five.
“That first serve when it’s on is impossible to get a read on,” said Robson.
“That was the biggest struggle for [Jessica] Pegula tonight.”
Rybakina’s serve was firing on all cylinders in the semis, as Pegula struggled to keep up.
| Player | Aces | Double faults | 1st Serve % | Win % on 1st Serve | Win % on 2nd Serve |
| Elena Rybakina | 15 | 5 | 64% | 72% | 52% |
| Jessica Pegula | 1 | 1 | 68% | 59% | 48% |
Robson believes Rybakina has been the best player at this year’s WTA Finals.
“You have to say she has been one of, if not the best player of the week. She has gone undefeated en route to the final, and that’s all you can ask for,” she said.
“She had to battle through some really tough tennis today, and Pegula threw everything at her.
“Even the last couple of games in the match, there was so little in it.
“The net cord totally changed the momentum all of a sudden, and then she closed it out with that brilliant serve we have been seeing all throughout the week.”
Set to contest a ‘big’ final for the first time in over a year, Robson thinks Rybakina is back where she belongs.
“Rybakina is back where I think she belongs in these kinds of finals. I think Miami last year was the last Masters final that she made, and this is a big deal,” she said.
“She has always been a player in my mind, I feel like she should have won a lot more, to be honest.”
Rybakina has played seven ‘big’ finals in her career so far, winning three and losing four.
Elena Rybakina’s record in ‘big’ finals
| Final | Opponent | Result | Score |
| 2022 Wimbledon | Ons Jabeur | WIN | 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 |
| 2023 Australian Open | Aryna Sabalenka | LOSS | 6-4, 3-6, 4-6 |
| 2023 Indian Wells | Aryna Sabalenka | WIN | 7-6, 6-4 |
| 2023 Miami Open | Petra Kvitova | LOSS | 6-7, 2-6 |
| 2023 Italian Open | Anhelina Kalinina | WIN | 6-4, 1-0 (RET) |
| 2024 Qatar Open | Iga Swiatek | LOSS | 6-7, 2-6 |
| 2024 Miami Open | Danielle Collins | LOSS | 5-7, 3-6 |
Only time will tell if she can move to 4-4 when she plays Sabalenka or Anisimova on Saturday.
If she plays as well as she has so far this week, she may well do so…
Elena Rybakina matches Iga Swiatek with her run to the final in Riyadh
Picking up the win over Pegula, Rybakina became the first player to defeat three top-five players at a single tournament since Iga Swiatek at the 2023 WTA Finals.
On her way to victory in Cancun, Swiatek beat the world number three, world number one, and world number five.
- 2023 WTA Finals RR – Iga Swiatek defeated [6] Marketa Vondrousova
- 2023 WTA Finals RR – Iga Swiatek defeated [3] Coco Gauff
- 2023 WTA Finals RR – Iga Swiatek defeated [7] Ons Jabeur
- 2023 WTA Finals SF – Iga Swiatek defeated [1] Aryna Sabalenka
- 2023 WTA Finals F – Iga Swiatek defeated [5] Jessica Pegula
Whether Rybakina can go all the way just as Swiatek did in 2023 remains to be seen, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action.
Rybakina will return to take on Sabalenka or Anisimova in the WTA Finals final on Saturday, November 8.
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