WTA Rome: Rybakina after giving up Swiatek in the semifinals
After the injury-related surrender of the world number one Iga Swiatek in a high-class match, especially in the second set , Elena Rybakina (WTA No. 6) moved into the semi-finals at the combined event in Rome.
by Dietmar Kaspar
last edit: May 18, 2023, 01:09 am
There were no real secrets before the encounter between the Pole Iga Swiatek and the Kazakh Elena Rybakina, after all, the two opponents have met regularly at tournaments since they were juniors. The two clashes this season went to 23-year-old Rybakina, who was able to triumph at the Australian Open and Indian Wells. Nevertheless, the role of favorite in the first game on clay went to 21-year-old Swiatek, who has already won two titles in Roland Garros.
At the beginning, Swiatek convinced with her variable baseline play. Without allowing her own break chance, the top seed twice secured her opponent's service in the first set.
After an early loss of serve, the Moscow-born Rybakina got better and better with her powerful groundstrokes and fought her way back into the match with a rebreak. Thanks to her serve strength, the reigning Wimbledon champion secured the tie-break and was able to equalize the set.
After a medical timeout to treat her right thigh, Swiatek was able to hold her first two service games like her opponent, but had to retire due to injury when the score was 6:2, 6:7 (3), 2:2.
In the round of the last four Rybakina has to deal with the Latvian Elena Ostapenko, who was able to keep the upper hand against the former world number two Paula Badosa from Spain with 6:2, 4:6 and 6:3.