The Pole lost in two sets against the Kazakh, winner of the last Wimbledon tournament.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek was eliminated in the round of 16 of the Australian Open by Kazakh Elena Rybakina (25th) 6-4, 6-4, Sunday in Melbourne.
The Polish, semi-finalist last year, was overtaken by the Wimbledon champion who will face in the next round the Latvian Jelena Ostapenko (17th) who eliminated the American Coco Gauff (7th) 7-5, 6- 3.
Iga Swiatek, world No. 1, semi-finalist last year and one of the favorites for the 2023 edition, will not have passed the round of 16 of the Australian Open, speeded up by the Kazakh Elena Rybakina, Sunday in Melbourne.
“I served very well and played very well in the important moments. It’s a big win for me», rejoiced Rybakina.
The tall Kazakh (1.83m) of Russian origin, born 23 years ago in Moscow, scored 24 winners (against 15 for Swiatek) and won four break points out of the six played on her opponent’s serve when the latter only managed to make two of her four break points.
“Elena was the strongest. It was to the one who would put the most pressure on the other at the start of the game and she did it very well“Swiatek agreed, pointing out that the Kazakh had hammered her with her”huge service(6 aces).
“Don’t Lose”
Iga Swiatek
And the 21-year-old Pole regretted her own lack of reaction: “I felt the pressure and felt like I didn’t want to lose instead of feeling like I wanted to win“, she explained, adding having to find”state of mindwhich allowed him to achieve an exceptional season last year.
Rybakina had never passed the third round in three appearances so far at the Australian Major and will face Jelena Ostapenko (17th) on Tuesday to try to climb into the last four.
Because the 25-year-old Latvian put an end to the career of the American Coco Gauff (7th), beaten 7-5, 6-3, and will play her first quarter in Melbourne.
“I had nothing to lose so I fought to make every point difficult for him. I held her under such pressure that she broke downcommented Ostapenko with a broad smile.
Champion at Roland Garros in 2017, she had never passed the third round in the Australian Major and had not reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam tournament since Wimbledon 2018.