Abu Dhabi Open: Rybakina vs Haddad Maia Tennis Prediction & Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 Abu Dhabi Open as Elena Rybakina takes on Beatriz Haddad Maia in the quarterfinal on Friday, February 10, 2023.

Will Elena Rybakina go the full distance at the Abu Dhabi Open? Or will Beatriz Haddad Maia overpower the Kazakh six-footer? It will be a fascinating match and one we cannot wait to see on who will reach the last four.

Elena Rybakina shook off her recent Australian Open final loss, beating former World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova in straight sets to reach the Abu Dhabi Open quarterfinals. Rybakina never took her foot off the gas pedal, in a match in which she did not relinquish her serve. The tall Kazakh fired three aces and maintained healthy numbers behind her serve. She broke the Czech three times in the match and kept her perfect record against Pliskova intact (won three out of three).

Beatriz Haddad Maia, meanwhile, was involved in a chaotic three-setter against Yulia Putintseva that lasted over three hours at the Abu Dhabi Open. The Brazilian left-hander served for the match in the second set but was foiled by a courageous Putintseva who saved three match points. And the second set went into a tiebreak where Haddad Maia blew a 5-3 lead before the fiery Kazakh leveled. And in a dramatic third set, it was Putintseva’s turn to choke at a lead. She was broken while serving for the match and then relinquished a 4-1 lead in the tiebreak before Haddad Maia pulled the rabbit out of the hat at the last.

Elena Rybakina and Beatriz Haddad Maia have not played each other on the WTA Tour. Friday’s quarterfinal at the Abu Dhabi Open will be their first official meeting. With news that Rybakina is officially out of next week’s tournament in Doha, she will go full throttle in Abu Dhabi. Rybakina showed little signs of rust in her game as she swatted aside Karolina Pliskova. And with Haddad Maia playing in a physically draining three-setter on Thursday, it is tough to see the Kazakh giving her any breathing space in this one.