TENNIS: Rybakina downs Swiatek to move into Australian Open semi-finals

MELBOURNE – Fifth seed Elena Rybakina booked her place in the Australian Open semi-finals on Wednesday, overpowering six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1 at Melbourne Park.

The 28-year-old Kazakh star, aiming for her first Australian Open title, will face either Jessica Pegula or Amanda Anisimov for a spot in Saturday’s final.

“Really pleased with the win,” Rybakina said. “We know each other pretty well, and I was just trying to stay aggressive. I feel like in the first set, for both of us, the first serve wasn’t working, so we were trying to step in on the second serve to put pressure on each other. In the second set, I just started to play more freely, serve better, and I’m really happy with the win.”

Swiatek started strongly, breaking Rybakina in the opening game by punishing her second serve. However, the number two seed failed to consolidate and immediately lost her advantage.

Both players held serve until the final game of the first set, when Swiatek sent a shot into the net, handing Rybakina the set after nearly an hour of play.

The Kazakh then capitalized on Swiatek’s frustrations in the second set, breaking her serve with a powerful forehand and keeping the pressure on. Swiatek questioned a marginal line call as Rybakina broke her serve once more late in the set before comfortably holding to seal her place in the semi-finals.

-Reporting by Michael Church; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Christopher Cushing/Reuters