Elena Rybakina arrived in Australia with one clear goal: to extend the WTA consecutive match-winning streak she began back in October. And for the first two rounds, she looked every bit at her best. But unfortunately for the Kazakh star, her impressive 13-match winning run came to a sudden halt, as Karolina Muchova ended it in a hard-fought quarterfinal showdown in Brisbane.

On Friday, Muchova snapped Rybakina’s winning streak with a gritty 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 victory at the Brisbane International quarterfinals. After two hours of high-quality tennis under the lights at Pat Rafter Arena, the Czech star sealed her win over the 2022 Wimbledon champion and booked her spot in the semifinals in style.

Muchova is playing her second main draw at the WTA 500, and this time, she’s stormed into the final four. She took down Ajla Tomljanovic and seventh seed Ekaterina Alexandrova before facing Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals. And once again, she rose to the occasion.

“It’s the first tournament of the season…” she said in her post-match interview. “So far, it couldn’t have been better than this. It was a very tough match as you mentioned. She’s a great athlete. Top 3, top 5 player. So, I’m just glad I was able to serve it out, and it was my first time on the centre court, so I’m so happy with all the support, and it’s so nice here.”

With this win, Muchova has reached her first WTA semifinal since last February in Dubai. That was before a wrist injury forced her out for ten months in 2024. She made her comeback in 2025 but is still hunting for her first title since 2019.

During this match, Karolina Muchova came out firing from the start and earned two break points in the first game, the first of 11 she’d create across the match. Rybakina escaped danger early, but a costly double fault at 2-all handed Muchova break she needed.

That was enough for the 29-year-old to find her rhythm. She reeled off four straight games and sealed the first set in just 35 minutes with smart, disciplined play. Muchova stayed clean, hitting only five unforced errors to Rybakina’s 18.

But the 2025 WTA Finals champion wasn’t ready to fold. Rybakina rediscovered her rhythm in the second set, striking heavy from the baseline to swing the match back her way and force a decider.

The final set turned into a tense tug-of-war until Muchova broke to love at 4-4, then served it out with confidence. A forehand winner finished the job and sent the crowd into a roar.

“I’m just happy to be playing again, to be out here,” Muchova said. “I missed a few years in Australia that I didn’t even come because of injury, so it’s just great that I’m here and enjoying playing with my team and friends here.”

Now she’s lined up a semifinal clash with World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who powered past Madison Keys 6-3, 6-3 later in the day. It will be their first meeting since the 2024 China Open. The big question is, will the Czech be ready?

Karolina Muchova’s thoughts on taking on the World No.1

Aryna Sabalenka has been untouchable so far, powering through the draw with her trademark intensity. The World No. 1 hasn’t dropped a set and looks right at home on the Pat Rafter Arena hard courts. Her latest win came with revenge against Madison Keys, a commanding 6-3, 6-3 victory sealed in just an hour and 30 minutes.

Across the net, Karolina Muchova is matching that energy with her own stunning run at the season-opening tournament. And now, she’s gearing up for her fifth showdown with the Belarusian, a player she knows all too well.

Muchova holds the upper hand in their head-to-head, leading Sabalenka 3-1. Sabalenka took their first meeting back in 2019, but since then, the Czech star has owned the rivalry. Her most recent victory came at the 2024 Beijing quarterfinals, a battle that once again tested both players to the limit.

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“So all I’m expecting is a tough battle. Even if it’s Sabalenka or if it’s Keys, it’s really tough out here. The draw is crazy strong out here for a 500 tournament, so just expecting another tough battle.”

Both players bring serious firepower to this clash, Sabalenka with her raw force, and Karolina Muchova with her variety and finesse.

The question now is simple: can the Karolina Muchova’s cool composure cut through the defending champion’s storm and push her all the way to the Brisbane final? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!