Rybakina ousts Osaka to book Toronto semi-final against Gauff

Elena Rybakina, the reigning Australian Open champion from Kazakhstan, defied the odds to defeat four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka in a grueling three-set match at the WTA Toronto Masters, securing a place in the semi-finals. Rybakina, who fired 13 aces, won 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, after a match that lasted 2 hours and 33 minutes.

The Kazakh player attributed her victory to her serve, which she believed played a crucial role in turning the match around. Osaka, a 22-year-old American, had a walkover into her first Canada semi-final when her opponent, Switzerland's Belinda Bencic, withdrew due to a hip injury. Rybakina expressed her admiration for Osaka, describing her as a "fighter," and vowed to bring her energy and focus to the next match against fourth-ranked Coco Gauff. Other semi-finalists will be Poland's Iga Swiatek and Ukraine's Elina Svitolina.