Abu Dhabi –

Defending champion Elena Rybakina edged out Ons Jabeur in a deciding-set tie-break on Thursday to reach the semifinals of the Abu Dhabi Open.

The world number five, whose coach Stefano Vukov remains suspended for allegedly breaching the WTA tour's code of conduct, beat Jabeur 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7/4).

Kazakh Rybakina missed two match points in the 12th game of the third set but kept her cool to see off the challenge of three-time Grand Slam finalist Jabeur.

"It's not easy," Rybakina said. "The first (match) point, she played really well and the second one, I just rushed and made a mistake.

"But I knew that it was a tough match no matter what, and I just needed to fight and play point by point."

The 2022 Wimbledon champion will next face Switzerland's Belinda Bencic for a place in the final.

Bencic reached her first WTA Tour semifinal since returning from maternity leave with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Marketa Vondrousova in a repeat of the Tokyo Olympics final won by the Swiss.

"I was really worried that the speed of the ball and the speed of how the girls are serving now, and returning and everything, would be maybe a bit too much, or a little bit too early for me," Bencic, who gave birth to her daughter last April, said.

"But I'm also someone that plays fast, and I'm happy to see it's not such a big difference."

American world No. 51 Ashlyn Krueger also made the semifinals courtesy of a 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 victory against Leylah Fernandez.

Krueger will next face Linda Noskova after the Czech youngster's 6-4, 6-3 win over Poland's Magda Linette.