Belinda Bencic stunned defending champion Elena Rybakina with a comeback win to reach the final of the Abu Dhabi Open on Friday. (More Tennis News)
π»Bencic, who is into her first final since returning from maternity leave last year, rallied from a set down in just over two hours to register a 3-6 6-4 6-4 victory.
βAfter a patient start, Rybakina found her groove, though had to defend four break points as she took a strong, before finally taking the lead after converting her third set-point attempt.
βHowever, like in her quarter-final against Ons Jabeur on Thursday, she could not hold onto that level.
πBencic pushed hard from the start, racing into a 3-0 lead. Her strong serve gave Rybakina no way through and after just 40 minutes, she forced a decider.
πΈThe pair traded blows in the third set, with Rybakina seeing her serve broken twice in a row early on.
βBencic had the chance to serve for the victory but could not convert either of her two match points. She made no mistake on her second attempt though, giving herself a chance to win a second title in Abu Dhabi, having also won in 2023.
πShe will face Ashlyn Krueger, who is through to her first-ever WTA-500 final having beaten Linda Noskova 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 in straight sets earlier on Friday.
Data Debrief: One step closer
πΌThis is just the seventh tournament at any level that 2020 Olympic champion Bencic has played in since the birth of her daughter last year, but she is making it one to remember.
π She improved her record in Abu Dhabi to 8-0 with her win over the world number five, clinching her first top 10 victory since early 2023.
πBencic is now looking to win her first title since the 2023 Charleston Open, with another unseeded opponent standing in her way.
