Australian Open: Rybakina sends top-seeded Swiatek packing, Ostapenko brushes aside Gauff

It was a day for the hottest shots in the women’s draw — Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and the 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko. While it was Rybakina’s serve that dismantled world No. 1 Iga Swiatek’s challenge on Rod Laver Arena, across the aisle, on the Margaret Court Arena, Ostapenko’s return jammed the 18-yearold Coco Gauff ’s formidable serve.
The Latvian, a passionate ballroom dancer, pulled off a perfect three-for-three on breakpoint chances, to set-up a classic Australian Open quarterfinal that’ll pit the return against the serve.
Rybakina, the Moscow-born, Russian-speaking Kazakh, ranked 25 only because points were denied at Wimbledon as the Championships banned Russian and Belarussian players from competing at the All England Club in July, came through 6-4, 6-4 to make the last eight at Melbourne Park for the first time.
Rybakina’s sentences are about as ephemeral as the rallies she engages in. The 89-minute round-of-16 feature had just four exchanges that went over nine shots, the longest rally of the match was clocked at 12. Some 77 points from a total of 110 were decided in four balls and under.
Rybakina, 6’0’’, leads every serve stat that counts in the tournament. The 23-year-old has won 82 percent of points on her first serve, she hasn’t exactly been tardy on the second delivery either, winning 57 percent of those points.
“I have one of the fastest serves (on Tour),” she said. “It’s my weapon.”
The question for Rybakina, coming into the tournament, was how she would cope with playing on big stages, given that ranking plays a part in court allocation. While she has been categorical in stating that she is not offended about playing on smaller courts, playing in storied venues with the crowd weighing in can be a different ball game.
Sunday was Rybakina’s second time on Rod Laver Arena, having already tasted it three years ago when she played Ashleigh Barty.
“It was an unbelievable crowd,” she said of her experience of playing the host nation’s darling. “I know what to expect on these big courts, I just try to do my best and focus on my serve.” Swiatek laid the blame for her loss on her attitude, but only after she applauded Rybakina’s effort. “I felt the pressure, I felt that I didn’t want to lose instead of wanting to win,” the world No. 1 said, adding, “These last weeks have been hard. I felt the pressure. I maybe wanted it a little bit too much.”
Ostapenko, the No. 17 seed, playing her first round-of-16 at Melbourne Park, put out Gauff the No. 7 seed 7-5, 6-3 in 93 minutes. The Latvian, dressed in a dramatic purple and orange combination, entertains as much with her expressions as with her shot-making.
“With me it’s never boring on the court,” she said.