World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and second-ranked Elena Rybakina on Wednesday booked a blockbuster semi-final at the Miami Open.

Defending champion Sabalenka held off big-hitting 45th-ranked American Hailey Baptiste 6-4, 6-4 while Rybakina beat fifth-seeded American Jessica Pegula – runner-up to Sabalenka last year – 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

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.

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.

"We've been playing a lot of matches, recently actually, and all of them have been a battle, all of them been a show," Sabalenka told the Tennis Channel. "I'm super-excited facing her."

Sabalenka is now two wins away from completing the "Sunshine Double" of Indian Wells and Miami.

Baptiste, playing her first WTA 1000 quarter-final, failed to convert three break points in Sabalenka's first two service games.

Sabalenka finally broke Baptiste when the American double-faulted on set point.

Sabalenka gained an early break in the second, but Baptiste broke back and held confidently to level at 4-4.

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. (AFP)


Edited by Tony Sabine