“It’s always a battle, always a fight, always a challenge,” said Sabalenka, who beat Rybakina in their most recent encounter at Indian Wells this month.
“We push each other to the limit, and we always bring the best tennis. I’m super excited playing her again.”
The semi-finals take place on Thursday, with American fourth seed Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic playing in the other match.
If Gauff reaches the final, she will overtake former world number one Iga Swiatek to move third in the WTA rankings next week.
Arthur Fils beat Tommy Paul 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-6) to reach the men’s semi-finals.
Neither player broke serve in a match that lasted two hours 47 minutes, with Fils winning five consecutive points in the third-set tie-break to secure his first ATP 1000-level semi-final in five attempts.
The 21-year-old will face Jiri Lehecka in the semis after the Czech 21st seed beat unseeded Spaniard Martin Landaluce 7-6 (7-1) 7-5.
