Australian Open 2023 Melbourne Park Day 11 26/01/2023 Elena Rybakina (KAZ) wins semi final match Photo Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
Australian Open finalist Elena Rybakina joined top seed Daria Kastkina in exiting in the quarter-finals of the WTA Abu Dhabi event on Friday as she went down 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 to Beatriz Haddad Maia.
The Brazilian scored the upset as she played a third three-set match of the week in the Gulf, knocking out the third seed and last summer’s Wimbledon champion.
Top seed Kastakina was eliminated 6-1, 6-2 by China’s outsider Zheng Qinwen, while Swiss second seed Belinda Bencic advanced to the last eight with a 7-6 (5), 6-2 defeat of American Shelby Rogers.
Haddad Maia was again forced to rally from behind to oust the reigning Wimbledon champion and Australian Open finalist.
Haddad Maia staged a comeback to win despite 19 aces off the Rybakina racquet to advance in just over two hours.
The 14th-ranked Brazilian has now won her last six matches against Top 10 opposition going back four years.
The 20-year-old Zheng notched 25 winners in her upset performance over Kasatkina.
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