In a stunning upset at Melbourne Park, world No.2 Iga Swiatek has been eliminated from the Australian Open, falling to the formidable Elena Rybakina in Wednesday's quarter-final clash. The 2022 Wimbledon champion, Rybakina, showcased her red-hot form with a commanding 7-5, 6-1 victory over the Polish star.
Rybakina's Resurgence Continues
After enduring a couple of injury-plagued years, Rybakina has emphatically returned to the spotlight, rediscovering the form that propelled her to the Wimbledon title and the 2023 Australian Open final. High-profile social media account The Tennis Letter has dubbed her "the Terminator of women's tennis right now," a nickname that seems fitting given her recent performances.
The Moscow-born Kazakh, now ranked world No.5, has won 19 of her past 20 matches and has not dropped a single set throughout this tournament. Her power-serving was on full display against Swiatek, as she hammered down 11 aces, bringing her tournament-leading tally to an impressive 35.
Dominant Performance Against Swiatek
Despite Swiatek holding a 6-5 career record over Rybakina, the 26-year-old was simply too powerful in this encounter. Rybakina dominated the winners' count 26-10 and committed six fewer unforced errors than her opponent. "The way she's been playing since the end of last year ... I have no words," remarked The Tennis Letter, highlighting her exceptional form.
This victory adds to Rybakina's recent dominance over Swiatek, having also crushed her 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 just two months ago en route to winning the prestigious season-ending championship in Saudi Arabia. During that tournament, she also defeated world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final and claimed victories over top-five American stars Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula.
Swiatek's Grand Slam Quest Delayed
For Swiatek, 24, this loss is a significant setback. With six grand slam titles to her name, including four at Roland Garros, she will now have to wait at least another year to complete the full set at the Australian Open. Her performance in this match was widely seen as disappointing, failing to match Rybakina's intensity and precision.
Looking Ahead to the Semi-Finals
Rybakina's victory sets up a semi-final clash on Thursday against the winner of Wednesday's all-American quarter-final between world No.3 Amanda Anisimova and sixth seed Jessica Pegula. In the other semi-final, Aryna Sabalenka will face resurgent Ukrainian Elina Svitolina.
Reflecting on her win, Rybakina admitted that both players struggled with their first serves initially. "I feel like in the first set for both of us, the first serve was not really working," she said. "So we were trying to step in on the second serve, put pressure on each other, and I think in the second I just started to play more free, served better. I'm just really happy with the win."
Rybakina has started the 2025 season in similarly hot form, dropping no sets and conceding only 23 games in her first four matches. Her aggressive play and consistent performance make her a formidable contender as she advances deeper into the tournament.
