Jessica Pegula Vs Elena Rybakina Highlights, Australian Open SF: Kazakh Rallies To Set Up Final With Sabalenka

Good Morning and welcome to the live coverage of the Australian Open's 2nd semi-final between Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina at the Rod Laver Arena. This is the start of our blog, so stay tuned.

Jessica Pegula Vs Elena Rybakina still has a lot of time before it starts. Till then, follow the live coverage of the 1st semi-final between Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina at the Rod Laver Arena.

The head-to-head record between Rybakina and Pegula depicts their intense rivalry. The two are tied at 3-3 in their six meetings that precede the upcoming semi-final clash between them. Rybakina won the last time the two met, as she secured a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory at the semifinal of the WTA Finals in 2025.

The second semi-final is underway at the Rod Laver Arena. Elena Rybakina serves first and takes the game on love, making a perfect start to the match. Jessica Pegula has also been serving well so far and would look to hold strongly too. The winner meets Aryna Sabalenka, who beat Elina Svitolina minutes back.

One early break is all Rybakina needs to dominate and annex the first set, 6-3. Pegula appears to be struggling a bit, getting constant instructions from her coach but unable to implement them amid the Kazakh's clinical display. A massive second set coming up at Melbourne Park.

Pegula makes a much better start to the second set, holding her serve confidently. But Rybakina finds an opening the next time around to break and take a 2-1 lead, and the American strikes back with a break of her own! The Kazakh returns the favour again to go up a set and a break at 3-2.

The American fights back valiantly! She staves off Rybakina's three match points to hold serve and then breaks back the Kazakh just when she needed to, to brings the second set back on parity at 5-5. The crowd roars in her support as the semi-final springs back to life.

Pegula refuses to give in, and despite Rybakina breaking her serve at 5-5, finds a way back into this encounter. She forges another crucial break in the nick of time to hang on and force a seven-point tiebreak. Which way will this match swing?

Finally! Rybakina eventually breaks through Pegula's gritty resistance and takes the tiebreak 8-6 to win the semi-final in straight sets, though the match hardly was as straightforward as that. Spare a thought for the American, who fought so hard to get here and then keep pushing Rybakina to the limit. The fifth seed sets up a final meeting with top seed and two-time champion Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday.

Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka will both get around 48 hours of rest, post which they take the court again for a titanic final at the Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, January 31, at around 2pm IST.