(Provided by Tennis World USA)
Elena Rybakina has become the third player in the Open Era after Maria Sharapova and Monica Seles to reach the final in the same season at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami and Rome, per OptaAce.
3 – Elena Rybakina is the third player in the Open Era to reach the final in the same season at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami and Rome after Monica Seles in 1991 and Maria Sharapova in 2012.
Annals.#IBI23 | @InteBNLdItalia @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/wWnngvhgTp — OptaAce (@OptaAce) May 19, 2023
On Friday night in Rome, Rybakina ousted Jelena Ostapenko 6-2 6-4 to reach the final at Foro Italico. Earlier this year, Rybakina ended as runner-up at the Australian Open after losing a tight final to Aryna Sabalenka.
In March, Rybakina won her first WTA 1000 title in Indian Wells before finishing as runner-up at a WTA 1000 event in Miami. In Rome, Rybakina continued her strong season and made her first WTA 1000 clay final. Previously, this feat was achieved by Seles in 1991 and Sharapova in 2012, respectively.
Rybakina emulates Sharapova, Seles
Against Ostapenko, Rybakina made a lightning start as she absolutely dominated the first set. Early in the second set,…
