Australian Open: Rybakina Knocks Out World Number One Swiatek
Women’s tennis World number one Iga Swiatek was knocked out of the Australian Open on Sunday after a 6-4 6-4 defeat by Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia
The reigning French Open and US Open champion, Swiatek, got off to a rough start as she surrendered her opening service game after receiving a warning from the chair umpire over the time she took for her pre-match preparations.
She fought back to level the scores by the fourth game, but Rybakina would break again, clinically punishing the Pole’s second serve to take the opening set.
Swiatek looked to have recovered after she rattled off three straight games at the start of the second set behind a more aggressive forehand, only for Rybakina to haul herself level with another break of serve.
Rybakina broke Swiatek again at 4-4 in the second set before holding her own serve in convincing fashion to close out the match.
Letting her racquet do the talking 🤫
🇰🇿 Elena Rybakina • @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/o42uktZv5v
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2023
“It was a really tough match and I really respect Iga because of the strike she has and the Grand Slams,” Rybakina said after the match.
“She’s a young player and she plays really well. Today I think was serving also good, just struggling on one side. Then in the important moments I played really well and it made a difference.”
The Kazakhstani player’s win sees her progress to a third Grand Slam quarter-final having also reached the last eight at the 2021 French Open, before winning Wimbledon last year.
Rybakina, seeded 22nd, will face Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.
The Wimbledon champion delivers a BIG statement 😳
🇰🇿 Elena Rybakina takes out top seed Swiatek!#AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/fIEeCCioAr
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2023
Australian Open/Reuters/Chidi Nwoke.
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