Rybakina wins rain-delayed semi-final, sets up thrilling Italian Open final.

In a rain-soaked semi-final showdown at the Italian Open, Elena Rybakina, the seventh seed, showcased her remarkable skills to defeat Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko with a score of 6-2, 6-4. The match was marred by multiple rain delays, adding to the suspense and drama on the court. The victory secures Rybakina a spot in the highly anticipated final against Anhelina Kalinina, guaranteeing an exciting women’s finale in Rome on Saturday.

Despite the challenging weather conditions, Rybakina dominated the first set after an hour-long delay, only to face a resilient comeback from Ostapenko in the second set. Ostapenko took a commanding 3-0 lead, but Rybakina managed to narrow the gap to 4-2 before rain once again forced a brief halt in play. Undeterred by the interruptions, Rybakina displayed her tenacity and skill, rallying to win five consecutive games upon resumption and ultimately clinching a well-deserved victory.

Reflecting on the match, Rybakina expressed her satisfaction with overcoming the adversities: “It was a really tough day overall, with all the rain delays. I’m just happy to be in the final. I’m happy that physically I can maintain and stay so long in the tournament until the end.”

Re-reported from the story originally published in https://www.theguardian.com/