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Match Details
Fixture: (4) Elena Rybakina vs (8) Maria Sakkari
Date: March 26, 2024
Tournament: Miami Open 2024
Round: Quarterfinal
Venue: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, US
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize Money: $8,770,480
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel/TC Plus | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN/TVA
Elena Rybakina vs Maria Sakkari preview
Top 10 players Elena Rybakina and Maria Sakkari will lock horns in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Miami Open on Tuesday.
Rybakina defeated Clara Tauson and Taylor Townsend in three sets each to book a fourth-round date against home favorite Madison Keys. The two were on even footing until the halfway mark in the opening set.
Rybakina then pulled ahead as she bagged three games in a row to take the set. She took a 3-1 lead in the second set as well. Just when it looked like she was about to run away with the match, Keys staged a fightback and got back on serve.
Rybakina then nabbed another break of serve in the 11th game to go 6-5 up. She then served out the match with ease in the following game for a 6-3, 7-5 win. She has now reached the last eight here for the second year in a row.
Sakkari knocked out Yuan Yue and Dayana Yastremska in straight sets to reach the fourth round, where Anna Kalinskaya awaited her. Unfortunately, the latter withdrew before the start of their match due to a right thigh injury. The Greek has now made it to the quarterfinals in Miami for the second time.
Elena Rybakina vs Maria Sakkari head-to-head
Rybakina leads Sakkari 2-1 in the head-to-head. The Kazakh won their previous encounter at the 2023 WTA Finals in three sets.
Elena Rybakina vs Maria Sakkari odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Elena Rybakina vs Maria Sakkari prediction
Rybakina's win over Keys marked her first straight-sets victory of the week. Despite a wobble in the second set, the Kazakh's overall level was quite high. She also seems to be in great health after she missed out on defending her Indian Wells title due to an illness.
Sakkari didn't get a chance to score a regular win over Kalinskaya but she'd be happy to be in the quarterfinals here nonetheless. After a runner-up finish at Indian Wells, she'll look to continue her good run of form here.
Rybakina currently has the upper hand in her rivalry against Sakkari. The Kazakh has won two of three matches, though she needed three sets to get the job done on both occasions.
Rybakina has been in great form throughout the season. She has already bagged a couple of titles and finished as the runner-up in Dubai. Her early exit from the Australian Open remains the only blemish on an otherwise stellar year.
While Sakkari has the tools to go toe-to-toe with Rybakina, the latter's precise shotmaking and serve eventually tips the scales in her favor. This could be another close encounter between them, though the Kazakh will be backed to triumph yet again.
Pick: Elena Rybakina to win in three sets.
