Rybakina's serve unlocks WTA Finals breakthrough
Under Riyadh's arena lights, Elena Rybakina channeled her season's grit into a semifinal comeback, her ace-laden serve overwhelming Jessica Pegula and paving the way for a long-awaited title shot.
In the humming indoor arena of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Elena Rybakina powered into her first WTA Finals championship match, edging Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a semifinal that tested resolve and rewarded raw power. The 2022 Wimbledon champion from Kazakhstan has now swept all four of her matches this week, breaking through the group stage for the first time after past early exits. Her serve, a relentless force on the fast hard courts, unleashed 15 aces and clinched victory on the initial match point, transforming a shaky opener into a statement of resurgence.
Navigating mental shadows
Pegula seized the first set with crisp crosscourt forehands, absorbing Rybakina's pace and redirecting it to force unforced errors, echoing the American's steady path to the 2023 final where she fell 6-1, 6-0 to Iga Swiatek. Rybakina, shadowed by a year of injuries that dulled her edge, refused to unravel, using deep breaths between points to steady her focus amid the crowd's rising tension. She began weaving inside-out forehands to stretch Pegula's court coverage, slowly dismantling the rhythm that had carried her opponent through the groups.
The second set turned into a gritty standoff, with Rybakina's adjustments—mixing slice backhands to disrupt tempo—allowing her to hold serve under pressure and force Pegula into longer rallies. As the Kazakh player's confidence rebuilt, the arena's energy shifted, cheers punctuating each winner that pulled her level. This pivot not only evened the score but highlighted her psychological growth, turning seasonal doubts into on-court fuel.
"It was not easy to come back but I'm glad I managed to find my way in the second set and win it in this three-sets battle," Rybakina said. "The serve, when I needed it, helped me."
Serve surges to victory
Entering the decider, Rybakina's delivery became impenetrable, firing aces at key moments to protect her service games and launch aggressive one–two combinations that pinned Pegula deep. The American's returns grew tentative on the slick surface, floating short and inviting punishing down-the-line backhands that exploited the indoor speed. Rybakina's tactical reliance on her 130-plus mph serves conserved energy while overwhelming Pegula's counterpunching, a style that thrives more on variable outdoor conditions.
With each hold, the momentum built irreversibly, Rybakina's flat power skidding low and sharp to rack up free points, her season's quiet training paying dividends in this high-stakes clash. Pegula fought valiantly but couldn't breach the wall, her underspin slices landing shorter and vulnerable to inside-in forehands. The win avenged prior frustrations at the Finals, positioning Rybakina for a potential rankings leap.
Final looms with power clash
As top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka prepares to face Amanda Anisimova in the later semifinal—a rematch of their US Open final—the Riyadh air thickens with anticipation for explosive baseline battles. Anisimova's aggressive returns could test Sabalenka's serve-heavy game, much like Rybakina's did against Pegula, setting up a possible final of raw firepower. For Rybakina, this breakthrough feels like reclaimed territory, her path forward a chance to conquer the elite event and cap a resilient year with silverware.
