Miami Open 2024: Rybakina sets up final with Collins, Dimitrov stuns Alcaraz

Fourth seed Elena Rybakina overcame a second-set meltdown to beat Belarusian Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 0-6, 7-6 (2) on Thursday and secure a return trip to the Miami Open final.

In Saturday's title clash, Rybakina will face off against American Danielle Collins, who beat Russian 14th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3 6-2 in the other semi-final.

Rybakina, the highest seed remaining in the women's draw, won nearly 82% of her first-serve points but converted only two of her 11 break-point chances en route to securing victory in two hours 33 minutes.

In the opening set, Rybakina squandered her first five break-point chances before solving Azarenka's serve to grab a 4-3 lead and she leaned on her astonishing power before closing out the 51-minute set with a hold to love.

Azarenka refused to go quietly, however, conjuring up a flawless display in the second set in which she limited Rybakina to five points and broke her serve three times to force a decider.

Rybakina, after a change of outfits, opened the third set moving much better and broke at the fifth attempt in the fifth game to move 3-2 up when Azarenka splashed a backhand into the net.

Rybakina crumbled in her first chance to serve out the match, however, as Azarenka got a break to get to 5-5 after she chased down a drop shot before her opponent sent a backhand volley into the net.

Rybakina, serving to stay in the match, held to love to force a tiebreak and she won the first three points of it before closing out the win.

Alcaraz crashes out

Carlos Alcaraz's hopes for a Sunshine Double came undone in spectacular fashion as the top-seeded Spaniard fell 6-2, 6-4 on Thursday to Grigor Dimitrov, who will move on to face Alexander Zverev in the Miami Open semi-finals.

Dimitrov, the Bulgarian 11th seed, won 77% of his first-serve points compared to just 56% for Alcaraz, turned aside four of the five break points he faced and broke the Spaniard four times during the 92-minute encounter.

It was a crushing defeat for Alcaraz, who arrived in Miami full of confidence after lifting the Indian Wells title 11 days ago but fell three wins shy of becoming the first man to clinch the Sunshine Double since Roger Federer in 2017.

Zverev attacked Marozsan's serve and converted three of his seven break-point chances, swatted aside the two break points he faced and won 80% of his first serve points en route to the last four in Miami where he has yet to drop a set.

Despite not dropping a set in windy conditions, Zverev had his hands full with Marozsan, who is making his Miami debut and enjoyed top-10 upsets over Holger Rune and Alex de Minaur on the way to the quarter-finals.

Up next for Dimitrov will be German fourth seed Zverev, who overcame tricky conditions to beat Hungary's Fabian Marozsan 6-3, 7-5 in the day's first match on the Stadium court.