Beatriz Haddad Maia said she knew she would need “to push herself every game” if she wanted to stand a chance against Australian Open finalist Elena Rybakina. On Friday, Haddad Maia upset Rybakina 3-6 6-3 6-2 in the Abu Dhabi quarterfinal.
“Today was a very tough battle. Rybakina, she’s a very good player, one of the best players in the world, so I knew I had to push myself every single game, especially on her serve. I was trying to find a way to return, to break her, to give myself one more chance, and I’m happy with my win.
I think I slept at 3 am last night [after beating Putintseva]. The adrenaline was in my body. I left, after the physio, at almost 1 o’clock. It’s not easy to celebrate one win knowing that you play right after in a few hours. I was in the gym this morning, but I love that,” Haddad Maia said, per the WTA website.
How Haddad Maia beat Rybakina
Haddad Maia saved two break points in the fourth game but also missed out on a break point in the fifth game as Rybakina led 3-2 after the opening five games of the match. After Rybakina saved a break point in the fifth game, the Kazakh also earned the first break of the match in the sixth game to open a 4-2 lead.
Up by a break, Rybakina held on to her serve for the rest of the first set to clinch the opener. After…
