Sabalenka progresses in Miami to set up semi-final meeting with Rybakina, Fils wins thriller

[p]Defending champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Sabalenka[/a] held off big-hitting 45th-ranked American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baptiste-hailey/Cjagsdf4/"]Hailey Baptiste[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/baptiste-h-Cjagsdf4/sabalenka-a-vyhksgUB/?mid=6RNFzvcB"]6-4, 6-4[/a] while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rybakina-elena/UDzElXdm/"]Rybakina[/a] beat fifth-seeded American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pegula-jessica/KdojxrAR/"]Jessica Pegula[/a] - runner-up to Sabalenka last year - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/pegula-j-KdojxrAR/rybakina-e-UDzElXdm/?mid=0dP2TjQO"]2-6, 6-3, 6-4[/a].[/p][p]They will return Thursday night at Hard Rock Stadium - home of the NFL's Miami Dolphins - to fight for a place in the final of the elite ATP and WTA event.[/p][embed guid="e899addb-b22b-4685-81e0-595e7fb3007c" url="https://x.com/WTA/status/2036968132904894656?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Rybakina beat Sabalenka in a nail-biting Australian Open final in January - the world number one's only defeat in 2026 - but the Belarusian avenged it with a victory in the Indian Wells final this month.[/p][p]"[b]We've been playing a lot of matches, recently actually, and all of them have been a battle, all of them been a show[/b]," Sabalenka told the Tennis Channel. "[b]I'm super-excited facing her[/b]."[/p][p]Sabalenka is now two wins away from completing the "Sunshine Double" of Indian Wells and Miami.[/p][p]Baptiste, playing her first WTA 1000 quarter-final, failed to convert three break points in Sabalenka's first two service games.[/p][p]Sabalenka finally broke Baptiste when the American double-faulted on set point.[/p][p]Sabalenka gained an early break in the second, but Baptiste broke back and held confidently to level at 4-4.[/p][p]But as she served at 4-5 to stay in the match, the American opened with three straight double faults. Sabalenka pounced, converting her second match point with a blistering return.[/p][h2]Familiar foes[/h2][p]"[b]She really pushed me[/b]," Sabalenka said.[/p][p]"[b]The rhythm, the heaviness of her shots is incredible. I'm super happy that I was able to hold the pressure and to get the win.[/b]"[/p][p]She'll now face a familiar foe in Rybakina, who shrugged off a slow start to post her fifth straight win over Pegula - a streak that includes a semi-final victory at the Australian Open and a quarter-final win at Indian Wells.[/p][p]Reigning Australian Open champion Rybakina, a 26-year-old from Kazakhstan, fired 12 aces in beating the American, last year's Miami runner-up, for their fifth consecutive meeting.[/p][p]Rybakina improved to 6-3 all-time against Pegula, including an Indian Wells quarter-final and semi-finals of the Australian Open and last year's WTA Finals on the way to titles.[/p][p]"[b]It's always very difficult matches with Jessica,[/b]" said Rybakina, who is seeded third despite rising to No. 2 in the world for the first time this week.[/p][p]"[b]She started playing well, and I was a bit rushing and frustrated, but I'm happy that I managed to bounce back and turn it around in the second set.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="49eedb54-70f0-4163-8221-26e5ec7e4c4c" url="https://x.com/WTA/status/2036890677326323738" social-type="twitter" /][p]Pegula, who won last month's WTA title in Dubai, broke twice to begin the match with a 4-0 lead when Rybakina netted a forehand in the opening game and sent a forehand long in the third.[/p][p]Pegula held twice more to take the first set in 35 minutes when Rybakina netted a backhand, the American making only two unforced errors in the opening set.[/p][p]Rybakina missed three overhead smashes in the fifth game of the second set but held serve then broke when Pegula swatted a forehand long for a 4-2 edge on the way to forcing a third set.[/p][p]Rybakina broke Pegula to open the third set and stayed in command to advance after two hours and 15 minutes.[/p][h2]Fils edges Paul[/h2][p]In the men's draw, 28th-seeded [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arthur-fils/IoIhUqIN/"]Arthur Fils[/a] of France saved four match points on the way to a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/arthur-f-IoIhUqIN/paul-t-pd3ye1BS/?mid=Y1HJ6mVG"]6-7(3), 7-6(4), 7-6(6)[/a] victory over 22nd-seeded American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/paul-tommy/pd3ye1BS/"]Tommy Paul[/a].[/p][p]Fils trailed 6-2 in the third-set tiebreaker, saving four straight match points before prevailing in two hours and 49 minutes.[/p][embed guid="33ff787e-7167-4824-af07-1a96dbd446a3" url="https://x.com/TennisChannel/status/2037012551372832810" social-type="twitter" /][p]"[b]It was a dog fight and I never back down from a fight[/b]," Fils said. "[b]Even if I lose, it's OK, I just fought the best that I could[/b].[/p][p]"[b]That's the best result I've had in my life so far[/b]," the 21-year-old added.[/p][p]He reached the semi-finals of an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time, where he'll face 21st-seeded Czech [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lehecka-jiri/6PlgfXKR/"]Jiri Lehecka[/a].[/p][p]Fils beat Lehecka in the quarter-finals in Doha last month.[/p][p]Lehecka ended the dream run of qualifier [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/landaluce-martin/AoOnGZEp/"]Martin Landaluce[/a], beating the 151st-ranked Spaniard [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/landaluce-m-AoOnGZEp/lehecka-j-6PlgfXKR/?mid=6gjOxQYA"]7-6(1), 7-5[/a].[/p]