Rybakina

Anisimova went into the match having won six of their previous 10 meetings, though they have met at each of the past three Grand Slams and Sabalenka edged that particular head-to-head two wins to one.

She prevailed in straight sets in the French Open fourth round and the US Open final, while Anisimova was victorious over three sets in their Wimbledon semi-final.

Their semi-final in Riyadh promised much – and delivered.

The first two games took 18 minutes to complete. Anisimova saved three break points to hold in the opener, then Sabalenka fought back from 0-40 down to do likewise.

The match clock had just ticked past an hour when Sabalenka eventually clinched the first set.

Anisimova, who failed to win the opening set in all four of her matches during her WTA Finals debut, responded brilliantly by racing into a 4-0 lead in the second and levelling the contest.

In a tight decider, Sabalenka’s backhand return winner to settle the seventh game sealed a decisive break of serve, and there was a warm embrace between the two players at the net when Anisimova sent a forehand wide on match point.

“I told Amanda that she should be proud of her season – she’s played incredible tennis for the whole season and it’s just the beginning,” said Sabalenka.

“I know she’s probably disappointed but there are many more things coming her way.”

Second alternate Alexandrova had sat on the sidelines all week but her patience proved worthwhile on Wednesday when Keys – unable to advance – withdrew just hours before her match with Rybakina.

The 30-year-old, who has enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2025, received the nod after fellow Russian and first option Mirra Andreeva, who is also competing in the doubles, declared she was not fit to play.

Alexandrova started impressively but squandered three break points before returning a forehand wide to hand the first break and a 5-4 lead to Rybakina.

The big-hitting Rybakina, sporting tape on her serving shoulder, served out the first set to love before breaking early in the second courtesy of a backhand error off her opponent’s racquet.

As Alexandrova’s serve faltered, Rybakina stepped up a gear and she doubled her advantage with a brutal forehand winner on break point, only to immediately lose one of her breaks when serving for the match.

Her struggle to get over the finish line continued, forced to save two break points in her next service game, before eventually sealing victory on her second match point as Alexandrova sent a backhand long.

“Each win gives you confidence,” said Rybakina, 26. “Hopefully I can continue.”

In the doubles, 2022 champions Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens confirmed their semi-final berth with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Italian pair Paolini and Sara Errani.

They join Hsieh Su-Wei and Jelena Ostapenko in advancing from the Martina Navratilova Group.

Rybakina, speaking at the Australian Open in January, said she never made “any complaints” about Vukov, adding: “I don’t agree with a lot of things the WTA do in the sense of my relationship with Stefano.”

Vukov challenged the WTA’s decision to issue the suspension and it was lifted after a hearing in front of an independent tribunal.

Following the appeal, the WTA told BBC Sport it is “fully committed to providing a safe and respectful environment for all athletes and other participants”.

The governing body added: “While case details remain confidential, we can confirm that Mr Vukov is eligible to receive credentials at WTA events. We will not be commenting further.”

With Vukov back in her corner, Rybakina reached the US Open fourth round for the first time in her career after impressively beating Britain’s Emma Raducanu on Friday.

Rybakina says she is feeling happier and healthier after overcoming insomnia, the sleep disorder which has troubled her in the past two years.

The issue led to her immune system breaking down and she decided to take an extended break from the WTA Tour at the end of last season.

After withdrawing before her 2024 US Open second-round match because of illness, Rybakina did not play again until November.

“Now it’s much better and I have no issues, so I’m pretty happy,” she added.

“I think we are managing and getting closer to where I want to be, physically also doing, I think, a pretty good job. Of course, it’s not much time between tournaments, but overall I’m happy with how the work is going right now.

“Things in the box definitely helps a lot, and I think it’s important when the whole team can support you.”

EMMA RADUCANU suffered one of her heaviest defeats at the Grand Slams as she was blown away by clean-hitting Elena Rybakina.

The former US Open champion was crushed 6-1 6-2 in the third round by the 2022 Wimbledon conqueror.

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The pair may have shared the doubles court together and have a decent relationship in the locker room but it was one-way traffic for the Eastern European.

Fashion mogul Anna Wintour watched on from Raducanu’s box as the 22-year-old, wearing her lucky colour of red, was easily beaten before most New Yorkers had grabbed their lunches.

It is her misfortune that she has been dumped out of the four Slams this year by multiple champions Iga Swiatek (Australia and French Open) and Aryna Sabalenka (Wimbledon).

The first clash against the Pole represents the heaviest major loss on her CV – a 6-1 6-0 walloping in Melbourne in January.

Up to 34 in the world, her task ahead of the 2026 Australian Open is to be one of the top 32 seeds so she avoids a big name in the opening rounds.

Raducanu’s serving had been impressive this week but then she did have to play two qualifiers from Asia, Ena Shibahara and Janice Tjen, who were both eliminated in under 62 minutes.

This was a significant step-up in class, though Rybakina does not have a great record at the US Open, having never made the quarter-finals before.

Raducanu, 23, was broken for the first time in the tournament as Rybakina managed to read the return and was hitting the ball cleanly and with authority, crushing every ball from the baseline.

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The Moscow-born Kazakhstani, 26, was giving Raducanu no time to breathe on a much cooler morning at Flushing Meadows, far removed from some of the more stifling, humid days the players have had to experience in tournaments past.

Rybakina was firmly in charge when she broke for the second time in game six of the first set.

The Brit had no answer and after 27 minutes, despite coach Francisco Roig’s constant talk and instructions from the sidelines, she was a set behind.

Even when she thought she could make an inroad into the Rybakina serve, her opponent produced a powerful first serve in response.

Having cruised through her opening two appearances, this was an example of the real Grand Slam challenge, with Rybakina hitting 11 winners, six off the forehand.

Things got any worse at the start of set two as Raducanu crumbled from 40-love up and was  broken by the No9 seed.

Roig, formerly in the Rafa Nadal camp, shouted out “the ball is very heavy” and that is true but it does not help when it comes back at you at such pace and precision.

On the Louis Armstrong Stadium, named after the famous New Orleans-born trumpeter and jazz musician, Raducanu did not have all the time in the world.

In fact her time in the event was all over when 62 minutes on the match clock — her quickest Grand Slam exit.

Tennis stars following in parents’ footsteps

TALK about pressure…

These rising stars are all making their way in tennis.

But they have got something in common – they’ve got a famous parent who also made their name in the sport.

So who are the players hoping to follow in the footsteps of their tennis mums and dads?