Kazakh tennis player Elena Rybakina advanced to her first WTA Finals championship match Saturday, defeating American Jessica Pegula in a three-set semifinal.
Rybakina, currently ranked world No. 6, overcame world No. 5 Pegula with scores of 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
The intense semifinal match lasted two hours and seven minutes. Her victory marks a significant milestone in her career.
The 26-year-old Rybakina awaits the winner of the other semifinal. She will face either world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus or world No. 4 Amanda Anisimova of the United States.
The WTA Finals gathers the top eight female tennis players globally. This prestigious year-end tournament is being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.