By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, February 21, 2020

 

Elena Rybakina repelled set points in both sets rallying into her fourth final of the season with a 7-6(5), 7-6(2) victory over Petra Martic in Dubai.

Photo credit: Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

Winning is addictive and Elena Rybakina is hopelessly hooked.

Rybakina repelled set points in both sets rallying into her fourth final of the season with a gripping 7-6(5), 7-6(2) victory over Petra Martic at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

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The 19th-ranked Rybakina raised her record to a WTA best 19-3 powering into her second straight final five days after falling to defending champion Kiki Bertens in the St. Petersburg final.

"I don’t know, I just want to win and my coach helps me a lot," Rybakina said "I have nothing to lose in this tournament. Today, of course, it’s semis I wanted to win so much.

"Even though I was down 3-0 I wanted to win this [second] set.”

Contesting her first semifinal of the year, the eighth-seeded Martic played well and put herself in position for a straight-sets win, but lacked the finishing shot that separates Rybakina from so many of the rest.

Serving power is an obvious Rybakina asset, so is staying power.

A resilient Rybakina fought back from 3-5 down in the opening set and from 1-4 down in the second set. Playing some of her most assertive points at critical stages, Rybakina saved eight of 11 break points in a two hour, 12-minute comeback that showcased her competitive character and guile as much as her power.

In both sets, the eight-seeded Martic used her low slice backhand to set up forehand strikes. In both sets, Rybakina made adjustments sometimes stepping in to hit a loopier topspin backhand and set up her own crackling forehand.

The WTA ace leader hit six aces bringing her total to 132 in 22 matches..

"It's amazing," Rybakina said in her on-court interview. "I just focus on every point. It was a really tough match. She played really good. I just tried to work every point and do my best."

The Hobart champon will play for her second career title tomorrow against top-seeded Simona Halep.

Halep rolled through seven straight games sweeping weary American qualifier Jennifer Brady 6-2, 6-0 into her second Dubai final.

"I fought for every ball I played," Halep told Annabel Croft afterward. "I believe I have a chance to win every match I play. I worked hard.

"Day by day I increased the level and I’m happy I can play the final again."

The 2015 Dubai champion saved a match point squeezing past Ons Jabeur in her opener.

Empowered by her opening escape act, Halep has found a higher gear.

"I didn’t realize even during the match I was match point down, but it helped me," Halep told Annabel Croft afterward. "When you escape from those matches you get more confidence for the next match.

"I did that so I’m really happy that tomorrow I have another chance to play here."

A year ago, the Moscow-born baseliner opened the season ranked No. 186. Rybakina hs rocketed up the rankings to No. 19 and will rise even higher after he inspired run this week adjusting smoothly from the indoor conditions of St. Petersburg to the outdoor Dubai conditions.

Rybakina dropped her opening set of the tournament before fighting off Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in her opener. In a clash of two of the WTA's most imposing servers, Rybakina stopped second-seeded Karolina Pliskova 7-6(1), 6-3 in the quarterfinals and showed comeback spirit again today.

The 20-year-old power player trailed Martic 3-5 in the opening set before breaking back to level after 10 games. 

Rybakina countered a Martic slice down the middle with a topspin backhand then swooped in and smacked a forehand winner for a 4-2 lead in the tie breaker.

The Croatian slapped a backhand into net and sailed a return as Rybakina earned four set points.



A tough-minded Martic fought off the first three set points.: Calmly working her way to net behind a pair of forehands, Rybakina blocked a forehand volley into the open court to close on her fourth set point.

Despite playing catch-up much of the set, the 20-year-old from Kazakhstan kept her cool snatching a 68-minute set.