Elena Rybakina saves 6 match points, wins over Paula Badosa in Dubai

DUBAI—Amid continued off-court uncertainty, Elena Rybakina is nonetheless dialed in on court at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, saving a whopping six match points to defeat Paula Badosa, 4-6, 7-6 (8), 7-6 (2).

The 2022 Wimbledon champion and No. 6 seed, who is the subject of new report in *The Athletic* detailing a “relationship of dependence” with suspended coach Stefano Vukov, repeatedly rallied from the brink of defeat to knock out the former world No. 2 in two hours and 49 minutes on a packed Court 1.

Read more: Rybakina feels “no support” from fellow players after Vukov suspension

"Well, it's a lot of articles coming out. I honestly not sure about which one you're talking about," she said when asked about it in press. "But I don't want to comment this anymore."

Rybakina, who is officially coached by Davide Sanguinetti since splitting with Goran Ivanisevic following the Australian Open, has strenuously denied mistreatment at the hands of Vukov, who is presently barred from obtaining a WTA credential due to what tour CEO Portia Archer considers a “toxic” dynamic between coach and pupil stemming from an investigation that began shortly after their split at the 2024 US Open.

Speaking at her post-match press conference on Tuesday, Rybakina reiterated her disappointment with the Hologic WTA Tour’s investigation, “the way it's been handled, just the outcome.

“But anyway, I need to focus on my tournament. It's what I'm trying to do. Yeah, hopefully I can just keep on playing, keep on winning.”

Improbably, she did so once again on Wednesday against an in-form Badosa. The Spaniard began the year with Top 10 comeback punctuated by a career milestone, a maiden major semifinal at the Australian Open.

Now ranked No. 10, the ninth-seeded Badosa, who was ranked as low as No. 140 last spring, was prescient in her goal of returning to the top of the game despite a career-threatening back injury, and was equally on song in the early goings against Rybakina.

Roaring back from 0-3 down in the opening set, Badosa nabbed seven of the next eight games to find herself up a set and a break. A poor serve game followed and Rybakina was back in the match, taking a 5-3 lead of her own in the second set.

Badosa saved a pair of set points in the next game, and appeared on track for victory in the ensuing tiebreaker when she earned three match points.

Rybakina ultimately saved four in the Sudden Death to level the match, and withstood a last fightback from Badosa late in the third. From another 5-3 advantage, Rybakina lost three straight games but saved two more match points to sail through the final-set tiebreaker, clinching victory in just under three hours.

Rybakina will next face American wild card and 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin for a spot in the semifinals.