{"id":1848703,"date":"2026-03-26T17:30:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T14:30:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1848703"},"modified":"2026-03-26T17:30:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T14:30:24","slug":"what-aryna-sabalenka-and-elena-rybakina-said-about-their-rivalry-before-miami-open-semi-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1848703","title":{"rendered":"What Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina said about their rivalry before Miami Open semi-final"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"ps-article-content rounded-lg lg:mt-5 lg:border lg:border-card lg:bg-card lg:shadow-primary\">\n<header>\n<h1 class=\"py-4 text-xl font-normal text-title sm:text-2xl\">What Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina said about their rivalry before Miami Open semi-final<\/h1>\n<div class=\"my-2 flex items-center justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/author\/ewan-west\" class=\"text-sm font-normal !text-author\"><br \/>\n                            Ewan West                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <time class=\"ml-3 text-sm font-normal text-info md:ml-4\" datetime=\"26 Mar 2026 5:30 PM\" data-ps-date=\"26 Mar 2026 5:30 PM\" data-ps-datetime=\"1774546224\"><br \/>\n                            26 Mar 2026 5:30 PM                        <\/time>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden justify-end space-x-4 text-xl sm:flex sm:!opacity-100\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_dark.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                       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<\/div>\n<div class=\"sm:hidden flex items-center space-x-5\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_dark.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 dark:hidden h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_light.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <button id=\"t365-article-share-btn-hidden\" class=\"mr-2 hidden h-6 w-6 appearance-none border-none !text-share-icon outline-none hover:!text-share-icon-active sm:hidden\" data-title=\"What Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina said about their rivalry before Miami Open semi-final\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5 border-b border-page\"><\/div>\n<section>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5\">\n<figure class=\"aspect-h-9 aspect-w-16 relative\">\n                                        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover object-center !my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/d2me2qg8dfiw8u.cloudfront.net\/content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Aryna-Sabalenka-Elena-Rybakina-1-1320x742.jpg\" alt=\"Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina\">                <\/figure><figcaption class=\"flex items-center space-x-3 border-b border-mobile-caption px-3 lg:border-caption\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-1.5 break-words !text-xs !text-content\">\n                                Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina                            <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"ciam-article-t365\">\n<p>Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina have spoken about their rivalry ahead of their blockbuster semi-final showdown at the 2026 Miami Open.<\/p>\n<p>The duo have been the two best players on the WTA Tour so far in 2026, and this will be their third encounter in less than two months.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/elena-rybakina\">Rybakina<\/a> defeated Sabalenka in a three-set Australian Open final at the end of January to claim her second Grand Slam title.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this month, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/aryna-sabalenka\">Sabalenka<\/a> hit back by overcoming Rybakina in a thrilling Indian Wells final after saving a match point in the third set tiebreak.<\/p>\n<p>Sabalenka has been the world No 1 since October 2024, while Rybakina climbed to her career-high ranking of No 2 after Indian Wells.<\/p>\n<p>Rybakina is seeded third in Miami, though, as the seedings were set before the latest WTA Rankings update, and she landed in the top half of the draw with Sabalenka.<\/p>\n<h2>Miami Open News<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/miami-open-iga-swiatek-rafael-nadal-elena-rybakina-alex-eala-arthur-fils\"><strong>Swiatek looks to Nadal as Fissette \u2018tension\u2019 emerges, Rybakina\u2019s confession, Fils\u2019 \u2018best result\u2019, Eala gets advice<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/miami-open-aryna-sabalenka-brave-change-powering-sunshine-double-mission\"><strong>Miami Open: Aryna Sabalenka reveals \u2018brave\u2019 change powering her Sunshine Double mission<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Want more from Tennis365? Add us as <a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\">a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for tennis coverage you can trust<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The pair set up their semi-final meeting with their quarter-final wins on Thursday as Rybakina downed Jessica Pegula and Sabalenka saw off Hailey Baptiste.<\/p>\n<p>Here is what they said ahead of the latest chapter in their rivalry:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sabalenka: <\/strong>\u201cI love it [the rivalry], I love it so much, because I feel like when someone pushes you to the limit, this is the moment where you grow, where you become a better player, and where you actually test your level, your strength. And I absolutely love it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve played a lot of matches recently, and all of them have been a battle, all of them have been a show, and I\u2019m super excited facing her and just can\u2019t wait to step on court tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Rybakina: <\/strong>\u201cI\u2019m just on the path of this, let\u2019s say consistency. This season is not even halfway yet. And it\u2019s great to play against Aryna, always pushing each other. And you can see what you need to improve.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo it\u2019s gonna be another match where I will need to serve well and take care of my game, knowing that on the other side she can hit a lot of good shots, also winners, good serve. So we\u2019ll try to focus on myself more.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Asked on Tennis Channel if she would like \u201crevenge\u201d for her loss to Sabalenka in Indian Wells, Rybakina said: \u201cWell, not necessarily.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want to play, of course, any top player straight away. Aryna of course \u2013 I would prefer maybe to play in the final if she wins.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut for me, honestly, it\u2019s not really about revenge. I had a lot of opportunities [in Indian Wells] and it was in the third set kind of a roulette in Indian Wells and of course I just know we push each other and can learn from these matches.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut I want to come out from the match, no matter the result, and be happy with what happened on the court, what worked, maybe some little improvements. It\u2019s already a plus and hopefully we\u2019ll play many more times.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>READ NEXT: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/watch-elena-rybakina-argues-coach-stefano-vukov-jessica-pegula-miami-open\">Watch: Elena Rybakina says \u2018what are you talking about?\u2019 to coach in argument during Miami Open win<\/a><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina said about their rivalry before Miami Open semi-final Ewan West 26 Mar 2026 5:30 PM Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina have spoken about their rivalry ahead of their blockbuster semi-final showdown at the 2026 Miami Open. The duo have been the two best players [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,249],"class_list":["post-1848703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tennis365-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1848703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1848703"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1848703\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1848703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1848703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1848703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}