Elena Rybakina withstands rain, Jelena Ostapenko at Italian Open

Elena Rybakina clenches her first during her semifinal match against Jelena Ostapenko at the Italian Open. 

Elena Rybakina remained patient and put herself into the final of the BNL Internazionali D’Italia Friday night. The 23-year-old held herself through rain delays and a surge from Jelena Ostapenko, who tried to push for three, but the weather ceased to give the seventh seed a 6-2, 6-4 win on Campo Centrale at the Foro Italico.

Rybakina broke the Latvian in the opening game and took a short lead, holding serve. Ostapenko got on the board in the third, but it was the seventh seed, taking the next three straight to widen the gap. The 20th seed avoided going down on serve and gave it her all to keep the fight alive. The eighth was a contest after a total of 18 points played.

The seventh had three set-point chances but was denied by Ostapenko until she got her chances. She had two breaks to notch up the third, but the 23-year-old found a fourth set point to end the first in 43 minutes. Rybakina notched five aces and 78 percent of points from the first serve. It took a toll on the return game of the 20th seed, who suffered five double faults but made seven aces.

She opened the second with a strong service, keeping Rybakina back to  gain the break in the second and open a 3-0 lead. The seventh seed got her service in play, but it was Ostapenko firm and dictated. She gained back the three-game gap in the sixth while dealing with the rain delays. They got into the seventh, with Rybakina leading before Ostapenko wanted to stop playing.

When they resumed play, Rybakina won the game and served in the eighth to try and level the set. She held the Latvian to a point, painting a winner right on the line. With her leverage lost, the 25-year-old struggled to win points on serve in the ninth. Rybakina took free points on miscues from Ostapenko. Gaining three break points, Rybakina returned a line drive away from the Latvian to gain the lead 5-4. The Kazak had her shot at serving for the match to put an end to the lengthy battle.

The two got into a heavy fight where Ostapenko stopped Rybakina from clinching match point. The seventh seed gained her second chance on an error from the Latvian, who sent another return into the net, ending the night in 1 hour and 33 minutes.