Rybakina storms back to beat Swiatek 3-6 6-1 6-0; Norrie edges royer to reach Moselle Open last 16

Elena Rybakina produced a stunning turnaround to defeat world No 2 Iga Swiatek and book her place in the semi-finals of the WTA Finals in Riyadh, while Britain’s Cameron Norrie advanced to the round of 16 at the ATP Moselle Open in France.

Swiatek, who had won all four of her previous meetings with Rybakina this year, appeared on course for another victory after breaking early to take the first set 6-3. But the Kazakh fourth seed responded with a ruthless display of power and precision, dropping just one game across the next two sets to complete a 3-6 6-1 6-0 comeback win.

“It’s always very tough to play against Iga,” Rybakina told Sky Sports Tennis after the match. “She brings so much intensity to the court. I started slowly, but I pushed myself in the second set and my serve really started to work. I’m happy with how I improved with every point.”

Rybakina, who has been one of the most consistent players on the indoor circuit this season, dominated the final two sets with relentless serving and deep, aggressive groundstrokes. She won 78 per cent of points on her first serve and converted five of seven break points, leaving Swiatek unable to find any rhythm in the rallies.

The victory, her fifth straight over Swiatek this year, was later confirmed as enough to guarantee her a place in the semi-finals following Amanda Anisimova’s win against Madison Keys in the other group match.

Anisimova, 24, recovered from a set down to beat her fellow American 4-6 6-3 6-2 in a high-tempo contest that saw both players struggle early on to hold serve. Keys won the first set behind powerful serving but was undone by a string of double faults and unforced errors as Anisimova fought back strongly.

“It was quite a battle out there,” said Anisimova. “I’m really happy with the way I was able to turn things around in the second set and keep my focus.”

Rybakina will now face Keys in her final round-robin match on Thursday, while Swiatek must beat Anisimova to stand a chance of qualifying for the last four.

In the other WTA Finals group, world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who opened her campaign with a win over Jasmine Paolini, is set to meet Jessica Pegula next. Pegula will be aiming for her second straight victory after beating Coco Gauff on Sunday.

While Rybakina was celebrating in Saudi Arabia, British tennis had mixed fortunes in Europe. Jacob Fearnley exited the Hellenic Championship in Athens after a 6-4 6-2 defeat to Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur, marking his third successive first-round loss following early exits in Vienna and Paris.

However, Cameron Norrie ensured there was British success on the ATP Tour by overcoming France’s Valentin Royer 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 in Metz. The 30-year-old seventh seed battled through a tense two-hour, seven-minute encounter, showing resilience to regroup after losing a second-set tie-break.

Norrie broke early in the deciding set and held firm on serve to silence the home crowd and seal victory. He will face another Frenchman, Arthur Cazaux, in the next round after Cazaux’s win over compatriot Adrian Mannarino.

Norrie, who has endured an up-and-down season, said he was pleased with his composure under pressure. “It was a really tough match,” he said. “Valentin played well and the crowd gave him great support, so I had to stay patient and focus on playing my game. I’m happy to get through.”

As the season nears its climax, both Rybakina and Norrie will look to carry their late-year form into their respective closing events. Rybakina’s semi-final run confirms her place among the world’s elite, while Norrie’s performance in France offers a timely boost ahead of the ATP’s final stretch.