WATCH: Aryna Sabalenka fist bumps Elena Rybakina's coach Stefano Vukov after QF loss to Kazakh at China Open 2023

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka exchanged a fist bump with Elena Rybakina's coach, Stefano Vukov, following her quarterfinal loss at the 2023 China Open. Rybakina defeated the Belarusian in straight sets, with a score of 7-5, 6-2, on Friday, October 6.

On her way to the quarterfinals, Sabalenka secured victories against Sofia Kenin in the first round, followed by a win over Katie Boulter in the second round. She continued her winning streak by defeating Jasmine Paolini in the round of 16 before bowing out of the tournament following her loss to World No. 5, Elena Rybakina.

A video shared on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) featured her with her bags packed, strolling towards Croatian coach Stefano Vukov. She exchanged a fist bump with him before exiting the court.

During a press conference following Rybakina's victory against Aryna Sabalenka, the Kazakh expressed her satisfaction with her performance.

She noted she played exceptionally well and that her serving was strong. She also acknowledged that facing Sabalenka always leads to challenging and tough battles on the tennis court.

"I played really well today, I served really well, so I'm really happy with my performance today. It's always tough battles against Aryna and I really enjoy playing against her," Rybakina said.

Stefano Vukov took over as Elena Rybakina's coach in 2019 after her separation from Andrei Chesnokov. Under his guidance, her game has seen remarkable improvement, with notable achievements, including winning the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, the 2023 Indian Wells title, and the 2023 Italian Open.

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Elena Rybakina will face Liudmila Samsonova in the China Open SF

Rybakina will face Liudmila Samsonova in the SF

The China Open made its return this year for the first time since 2019. The hiatus was primarily attributed to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. This year's edition also marked Elena Rybakina's debut in the tournament, who will face Liudmila Samsonova in the semifinals.

The World No. 22, Samsonova, secured a convincing victory in the quarterfinals by defeating former French Open champion Jeļena Ostapenko, 6-3, 6-2. The Russian maintains a 3-0 lead in her head-to-head battles against Elena Rybakina.

Their most recent encounter occurred in this year's Canadian Open semifinals, where Samsonova defeated the Kazakh in a three-set thriller, 1-6, 6-1, 6-2.

Meanwhile, Rybakina has already claimed two trophies this season, and she is determined to secure her third at the 2023 China Open.