Preview: Aryna Sabalenka vs. Elena Rybakina - Miami Open prediction, head-to-head, tournament so far

An increasingly familiar sight in top-level WTA finals, one of Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina will miss out on the Miami Open showpiece when they collide in Friday's semi-final spectacular.

The Belarusian powered her way past Hailey Baptiste to set up another date with Rybakina, who recovered from a first-set blip to eliminate Jessica Pegula in the quarter-finals.

Match preview

Still on course for a perfect Miami Open campaign - or as perfect as it could be without winning every match 6-0 6-0 - top seed Sabalenka has roared her way into this year's final four without dropping a single set.

The defending champion has not blown any of her opponents away in the manner of Iga Swiatek vs. Amanda Anisimova at SW19 2025, but Ann Li, Caty McNally, Qinwen Zheng and Hailey Baptiste have all been no match for the world number one.

By defeating the latter 6-4 6-4 in their quarter-final showdown, Sabalenka registered a 10th consecutive win on the WTA Tour since January's Australian Open final loss to her upcoming foe, while only dropping one of a staggering 21 sets in that time.

Baptiste went down swinging against Sabalenka, but the Belarusian saved four of the five break opportunities that her American foe fashioned, while also winning over 50% of her second-serve points.

Sabalenka's success also marked her 10th consecutive straight-sets Miami Open victory, a feat that only four other esteemed women have achieved since the tournament's inception; Chris Evert, Serena Williams, Martina Hingis and Steffi Graf.

In contrast, Rybakina's pursuit of a perfect Miami Open triumph ended when Pegula clinched a dominant first set 6-2 in their quarter-final battle, but the reigning Australian Open champion produced a quintessential colossal comeback to eliminate the home favourite.

After a false start in which she lost the first four games of the match, Rybakina prevailed 2-6 6-3 6-4 in two hours and 15 minutes to reach a 13th WTA 1000 semi-final, earning a unique record in the process.

The Kazakhstani representative has now reached more WTA 1000 semi-finals than any other player competing for an Asian nation - surpassing Li Na's 12 - although from those 13 semis, only two have translated into title wins.

Nevertheless, Rybakina served like a woman possessed in her battle with Pegula, firing a ferocious 15 aces past the fifth seed and also saving eight of the 10 break points she faced, deservedly earning a swift reunion with Sabalenka.

Whoever prevails in the 17th instalment of the Sabalenka-Rybakina rivalry will face Coco Gauff or Karolina Muchova for a shot at Miami Open glory, and both players will know the fate of that semi-final before stepping out onto the Stadium court.

Tournament so far

Aryna Sabalenka:

First round: Bye

Second round: vs. Ann Li 7-6[5] 6-4

Third round: vs. Caty McNally 6-4 6-2

Round of 16: vs. Qinwen Zheng 6-3 6-4

Quarter-final: vs. Hailey Baptiste 6-4 6-4

Elena Rybakina:

First round: Bye

Second round: vs. Yulia Putintseva 6-3 6-3

Third round: vs. Marta Kostyuk 6-3 6-4

Round of 16:vs. Talia Gibson 6-2 6-2

Quarter-final: vs. Jessica Pegula 2-6 6-3 6-4

Head To Head

Indian Wells (2026) - Final: Sabalenka wins 3-6 6-3 7-6[3]

Australian Open (2026) - Final: Rybakina wins 6-4 4-6 6-4

WTA Finals (2025) - Final: Rybakina wins 6-3 7-6[0]

Wuhan Open (2025) - Quarter-finals: Sabalenka wins 6-3 6-3

Cincinnati Open (2025) - Quarter-finals: Rybakina wins 6-1 6-4

Berlin Open (2025) - Quarter-finals: Sabalenka wins 7-6[6] 3-6 7-6[6]

WTA Finals (2024) - Round Robin: Rybakina wins 6-4 3-6 6-1

Madrid Open (2024) - Semi-finals: Sabalenka wins 1-6 7-5 7-6[5]

Brisbane International (2024) - Final: Rybakina wins 6-0 6-3

WTA Finals (2023) - Round Robin: Sabalenka wins 6-2 3-6 6-3

Beijing Open (2023) - Quarter-finals: Rybakina wins 7-5 6-2

Indian Wells Open (2023) - Final: Rybakina wins 7-6[11] 6-4

Australian Open (2023) - Final: Sabalenka wins 4-6 6-3 6-4

Wimbledon (2021) - Last 16: Sabalenka wins 6-3 4-6 6-3

Abu Dhabi (2021) - Quarter-finals: Sabalenka wins 6-4 4-6 6-3

Wuhan Open (2019) - Quarter-finals: Sabalenka wins 6-3 1-6 6-1

No fewer than 16 singles matches have already been fought by Sabalenka and Rybakina on the WTA Tour, and the top seed leads the way with nine victories to the latter's seven, although the pendulum has swung in more recent times.

Sabalenka won each of the first four head-to-heads between the duo, but Rybakina boast seven successes from the last 12, including January's unforgettable Australian Open final.

However, Sabalenka quickly avenged that heart-breaking defeat with a three-set triumph in the final of this year's Indian Wells Open, thereby completing 50% of the Sunshine Double.

We say: Sabalenka to win in three sets

The most predictable thing about Sabalenka vs. Rybakina matches is that they are unpredictable, but a three-set thriller is often a safe bet when the two titanic forces tussle.

A gruelling quarter-final with Pegula may lead to fatigue creeping in for the Kazakhstani, though, and as was the case in California just a couple of weeks ago, Sabalenka has our vote to come up trumps and keep her chances of back-to-back title triumphs alive.