The Miami Open 2026 semifinal, held between the top two WTA tennis stars, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, had a special guest sitting in the stands. It was Brazilian football icon Ronaldo Nazario, widely known as Ronaldo or R9, who drew cheers from the crowd as cameras captured him smiling and waving in the stands during the women's semifinal.
Watch: Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazario in stands to watch Sabalenka vs Rybakina Miami Open semifinal
The moment, shared widely on social media, highlighted the crossover appeal of the prestigious WTA 1000 event at Hard Rock Stadium. Known for his love of tennis and previous appearances in Miami, the two-time FIFA World Cup winner and former Real Madrid star added star power to an already high-profile matchup between two of the game's top power players.
In the on-court action, Sabalenka dominated her rival, defeating Rybakina 6-4, 6-3 in just 1 hour and 18 minutes to advance to the final against Coco Gauff. It marked another chapter in their intense rivalry, following Sabalenka's recent victory over Rybakina in the Indian Wells final. The Belarusian star is attempting to win a Sunshine Double this year, having won the Indian Wells, beating the same opponent, the Kazakh.
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