Elena Rybakina beat Jessica Pegula for a fifth straight time to move into the Miami Open semi-finals, winning 2-6 6-3 6-4.
Australian Open champion Rybakina was the losing finalist in Miami in both 2023 and 2024, while her American opponent was runner-up in last year’s competition.
Pegula took a 4-0 lead on her way to the first set, but Rybakina rallied and hit 15 aces and saved eight of 10 break points to come through.
“It’s always very difficult playing Jessica,” said Rybakina.
“She started playing well, and I was rushing and frustrated, but I’m happy that I managed to bounce back and turn it around in the second set.”
She will face Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka in a rematch of the Australian Open and Indian Wells finals after the world number one beat American Hailey Baptiste 6-4 6-4.
“It’s always a battle, always a fight, always a challenge,” said Sabalenka, who beat Rybakina in their most recent encounter at Indian Wells this month.
“We push each other to the limit, and we always bring the best tennis. I’m super excited playing her again.”
The semi-finals take place on Thursday, with American fourth seed Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic playing in the other match.
If Gauff reaches the final, she will overtake former world number one Iga Swiatek to move third in the WTA rankings next week.
Arthur Fils beat Tommy Paul 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (8-6) to reach the men’s semi-finals.
Neither player broke serve in a match that lasted two hours 47 minutes, with Fils winning five consecutive points in the third-set tie-break to secure his first ATP 1000-level semi-final in five attempts.
The 21-year-old will face Jiri Lehecka in the semis after the Czech 21st seed beat Spanish qualifier Martin Landaluce 7-6 (7-1) 7-5.
