Saudi Arabia
Rybakina routs Swiatek for AO semi-final against Pegula
Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina both advanced in straight sets on Wednesday into an Australian Open semi-final with both looking for a first-ever title in Melbourne
Rybakina took total control of Iga Swiatek, pounding 11 aces to earn a 7-5, 6-1 defeat which sent the Kazakh into her second semi-final here.
Pegula finally broke through to the Melbourne final four after failing to advance in three previous quarter-finals, but finally got the job done against US compatriot Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 7-6 (1).
The 31-year-old swept up the opening set but faced resistance in the second from the runner-up last season at Wimbledon and the US Open.
Pegula served for the win leading a sst and 5-3 but was broken, forcing her to pull out victory in a one-way tiebreaker, converting on the first of five match points.
“It’s awesome to break through and finally reach the semis,” the winner said. “I knew after three quarters that it had to be coming.
“Ilike the conditions and have played some good tennis here. I was waiting for the time when I could come through.
“I knew she would step it up in the second set and breaking back (for 5-4 as Anisimova served to level the sets) was huge.
“I felt I could put pressure on her serve, so I told myself to gear up. It was tough as she pays with nothing to lose – that is dangerous.”
Rybakina, the fifth-seeded 2023 finalist here was ruthless in her demolition of Poland’s former world No. 1 Swiatek, who was kept in check throughout by the 2022 Wimbledon champion.
The pair of contenders knew each other’s games well, having played five times last season, with Swiatek winning the first round of those meetings before her rival took victory in a group match at the WTA Finals in Saudi.
“I’m really pleased with the win,” Rybakina said. “In the first set I tried to stay aggressive and put pressure on her.
“In the second I was able to play more freely and served better. Finding a way to win through my serve has really helped in my last two matches.
“Even when I was not doing well, I didn’t want to show any frustration.”
Swiatek, winner of six Grand Slam titles, remains jinxed in Melbourne, where she has never passed the semi-finals (2022 and 2025).
“I’m not happy with the results. It was a high-intensity match,” the second-seeded Pole said.
“First set was tight, a few points made the difference. In second set she improved the serve. She was going for the shots, and it got much tougher.
.”I have some stuff I want to work on. It’s never been so, like, flawless for me playing on these courts, as they are fast.”
Rafael Nadal will return to the spotlight at the mid-week start of the revised NextGen Finals to be staged in Saudi Arabia, with the now-retired Spaniard fulfilling his contractual obligation with the local federation.
The 38-year-old who played his last match in November at the Davis Cup Finals before hanging up his racquet, controversially accepted a position in February as “ambassador” for the federation.
The Saudi public wealth investment fund has been buying its way into tennis, and has already served as host for the WTA Finals as well as snaring the under-20 NextGen under a five-year contract.
Nadal will front up as part of the PR effort when the event begins on Wednesday in Jeddah.
“Hello, it’s Rafa here. Just remains one week for the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah,” Nadal said in a Saudi social media post..
“Make sure you are ready to watch some of the best talents, special young talents, in the world. See you there!”
The 22-time Grand Slam winner has been a frequent visitor to the kingdom, participating in a well-paid exhibition in October also featuring fellow elites Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and USD 6 million winner Jannik Sinner..
Coach Darren Cahill has rallied to the defence of Jannik Sinner after the world No. 1 sparked controversy with his record-breaking USD 6 million prize money haul from last month’s Saudi exhibition.
The Italian banked the biggest cheque ever cut in tennis for winning the hit-and-giggle event among six top players last month,
Asked as to what influence the outsized payday had on his participation, the native German-speaker answered in English to Eurosport: “I don’t play for money. It’s very simple.
“Of course it’s a nice prize, but I went there because there was possibly the six best players in the world and you can measure yourself with them. It was also a nice event,”
That somewhat unbelievable response drew a laughing emoji form veteran Stan Wawrinka in an online post.
The situation may have inspired Australian Cahill to jump into the controversy in an effort to save face for his VIP client.
“What he said about not going to Riyadh for the money was misinterpreted.
“Or maybe he didn’t explain himself well. The truth is that he had never played an exhibition, he has always been focused on improving his tennis. He knows what his priorities are.
“Then he got an offer for the Six Kings Slam, with the six best players in the world and a lot of money. He consulted us and we said why not, and he accepted.”
Sinner is headlining from Sunday at the this week at the ATP finals in Turin, where he is top seed as the eight best players this season clash.
Main photo:- Darren Cahill with Andre Agassi after winning 2003 Australian
Open – by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos
Aryna Sabalenka fell victim to a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 upset at the hands of former Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina as the world No. 1 moved into the knockout stage of the WTA Finals on Wednesday.
Sabalenka had already assured herself a semi-final place but would have surely preferred to leave the group stage in Riyadh with a clean slate after three matches.
Rybakina ends standing 1-2 as she competed for the first time since pulling injured from the US open with a back injury and playing just three matches since Wimbledon.
Sabalenka’s loss was only her fourth in the series after defeating her Kazakh rival six times; the top seed had won her previous seven matches before running into Rybakina.
American Jessica Pegula quit the year-end event with injury while Australian Open finalist Zheng Qinwen defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-1, 6-1.
US Open runner-up Pegula, who lost that final to Sabalenka, was replaced by alternate Daria Kasatkina.
“Just been kind of struggling with a little bit of an injury,” Pegula said, “and for whatever reason, it kind of really flared up this week.
“I’m not really sure why. In the few days before practice, it felt really, really good, but it started creeping up right before my first match.
“I”m not feeling comfortable moving on court.”
Kasatkina will face No.2 Iga Swiatek on Thursday.
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