Pegula lost the match but won public praise; American dark horse's claim that she could have beaten Sabalenka sparks controversy.

Sabalenka and Rybakina meeting in the Miami semifinals was a considerable setback for American women's tennis, as they faced two losses in one day.

Prior to the matches, many discussions suggested that Pegula or the American dark horse Baptiste should have at least one advancing, with Pegula being the most anticipated.

Pegula had declared in a pre-match interview, "No one can beat me five times in a row." This statement led many to believe that the wealthy American woman was fully prepared against Rybakina, determined to avenge her previous Indian Wells loss and avoid a fifth consecutive defeat.

However, after a 2-hour and 15-minute battle, Pegula and her supporters were disappointed as she ultimately fell to Rybakina, suffering a fifth straight loss. Her revenge against the Kazakh beauty must wait for their next encounter.

Actually, Pegula performed well in this match, especially with the support of local fans. She won the first set 6-2, pushing Rybakina to the brink and thrilling her supporters.

Unfortunately, fate intervened. The immense pressure did not overwhelm the Kazakh beauty but instead aided Rybakina, whose risky attacks unexpectedly succeeded. She reversed the match by winning the next two sets 6-3 and 6-4, denying Pegula the desired outcome and more applause from her hometown audience.

Although Pegula lost this crucial match, she earned positive recognition afterward.

During the match against Rybakina, Pegula not only delivered many brilliant moments but also impressed people with her handling of certain details.

For instance, when Rybakina's serve was called a net touch—a matter unrelated to Pegula—she could have ignored it and focused on herself. Instead, she spoke up for the Kazakh beauty, insisting the ball crossed the net and requesting video replay to verify.

Although the video later confirmed the referee's call was correct, many admired Pegula's high-minded attitude during such a tense, head-to-head competition. It softened the harshness of the contest, bringing warmth to the cold match. Thus, her post-match praise and gaining new fans were unsurprising.

The American dark horse Baptiste, who lost in two sets to world number one Sabalenka, also sparked discussions. Unlike Pegula's praise, she faced some controversy.

“If I had played slightly better at certain moments, I could have—even should have—won this match. I believe with a bit more improvement, the result could have been different.” Baptiste felt that regardless of the opponent, the match was mostly in her hands; her loss to Sabalenka was primarily due to her own shortcomings.

This statement by the American dark horse was labeled as “unaccepting of defeat,” stirring considerable reaction in public opinion.

Some fans and netizens joked that anyone losing a match must have underperformed or faltered at key moments; if everything proceeded ideally, defeat wouldn't occur. Her words, in principle, apply to anyone—essentially saying nothing new. But she overlooked that “sometimes victory hinges on who excels in crucial points.”

Others directly criticized the American dark horse, advising her to review match footage repeatedly and summarize lessons rather than utter useless self-pity after defeat.

Sabalenka secured a two-set victory because she knew how to exert force at critical moments and seize control—a distinction between top players and ordinary ones. They emphasized Baptiste's clear gap in skill and performance compared to the Belarusian, questioning her post-match remarks.

Reviewing this key duel, Sabalenka defeated Baptiste by delivering decisive blows at crucial moments.

In the first set, Sabalenka reached a 5-4 advantage and pressured Baptiste's serve when she had no retreat, winning 6-4. The world number one ended the second set similarly, attacking Baptiste's serve under pressure and achieving a 6-4 finish.

Hence, many mocked Baptiste: given Sabalenka's prowess in critical points, she had little chance to win. Against top players, they often restrict your performance—it's not entirely up to you; that's the world number one's capability! If she lost in three sets to Sabalenka, such remarks might be understandable, but a two-set loss with passive play and such statements baffled many.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River's Sky)