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NEW DELHI: World number one Iga Swiatek crashed out of the Australian Open on Sunday after suffering a 4-6, 4-6 loss to Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina at the Rod Laver Arena.
With the win, Rybakina reached the quarterfinals of the season’s opening Grand Slam for the first time.
The 22nd-seeded Rybakina unsettled Swiatek with her big serving and got the better of their baseline exchanges, winning the match in an hour and 30 minutes.
Rybakina’s ranking does not properly reflect her ability or results because her championship at the All England Club last July did not come with any ranking points. The WTA and ATP tours withheld all points at Wimbledon in 2022 after the All England Club barred players from Russia and Belarus from participating because of the invasion of Ukraine.
Rybakina was born in Moscow but has represented Kazakhstan since 2018, when that country offered her funding to support her tennis career.
Despite her status as a major champion, Rybakina has been out of the spotlight: Her first-round match at Melbourne Park was placed on tiny Court 13 last Monday; her match against two-time Slam champ Garbine Muguruza at least year’s US Open was on Court 4.
But her game is worthy of much more attention, as she displayed in knocking out Swiatek at Rod Laver Arena.
Rybakina hit six aces and compiled a 24-15 edge in winners against the 21-year-old from Poland, who was a semifinalist a year ago in Australia. That followed Rybakina’s victory over 2022 runner-up Danielle Collins in the third round.
Until Sunday, Swiatek had looked fairly dominant, winning every set she contested and dropping a total of just 15 games through three matches.
(With inputs from AP)
With the win, Rybakina reached the quarterfinals of the season’s opening Grand Slam for the first time.
The 22nd-seeded Rybakina unsettled Swiatek with her big serving and got the better of their baseline exchanges, winning the match in an hour and 30 minutes.
Rybakina’s ranking does not properly reflect her ability or results because her championship at the All England Club last July did not come with any ranking points. The WTA and ATP tours withheld all points at Wimbledon in 2022 after the All England Club barred players from Russia and Belarus from participating because of the invasion of Ukraine.
Rybakina was born in Moscow but has represented Kazakhstan since 2018, when that country offered her funding to support her tennis career.
Despite her status as a major champion, Rybakina has been out of the spotlight: Her first-round match at Melbourne Park was placed on tiny Court 13 last Monday; her match against two-time Slam champ Garbine Muguruza at least year’s US Open was on Court 4.
But her game is worthy of much more attention, as she displayed in knocking out Swiatek at Rod Laver Arena.
Rybakina hit six aces and compiled a 24-15 edge in winners against the 21-year-old from Poland, who was a semifinalist a year ago in Australia. That followed Rybakina’s victory over 2022 runner-up Danielle Collins in the third round.
Until Sunday, Swiatek had looked fairly dominant, winning every set she contested and dropping a total of just 15 games through three matches.
(With inputs from AP)
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