Elena Rybakina posted the biggest shocker of the 2023 Australian Open on Sunday as she took out world no. 1 Iga Swiatek in the fourth round. The 22nd-seeded Kazakh won 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 29 minutes. The no. 1 seed looked uncomfortable and passive throughout the match.
At the start of the match, she had quite a slow start and promptly found herself down a break. Although she got back into the set with a break back, she didn’t look like she’d settled into a rhythm of any sort. In the second set, the proceedings turned the other way – with Swiatek first breaking Rybakina but unable to hold the advantage for long which allowed her opponent to get back in the set and eventually, claim the match in straight sets.
Australian Open: Elena Rybakina makes her mark
Swiatek won only 57% points on her first serve despite putting in 63% of her first serves to Rybakina’s 56%. The latter, however, won 80% of her first-serve points. Rybakina’s aggressive game also accounted for her hitting 24 winners and 25 unforced errors while Swiatek trailed with 14 winners and 15 unforced errors.
Rybakina also had more success at the net winning 80% points to Swiatek’s 67%. The 2022 Wimbledon champion saved two of the four break points she faced while converting four of the six break…
