Rybakina beats No. 1 Swiatek to reach Australian Open QF

PTI, Jan 22, 2023, 9:41 AM IST

AFP photo

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina eliminated No. 1-ranked Iga Swiatek in straight sets Sunday to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals for the first time.

The 22nd-seeded Rybakina used her big serving to unsettle Swiatek and got the better of their baseline exchanges to win 6-4, 6-4 in about 1 1/2 hours. Swiatek is a three-time major champion, including titles at the French Open and U.S. Open last season.

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.