Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula have punched their tickets to the semifinals of the Australian Open, upsetting tournament favorites Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova along the way.
Defending Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek, seeded second, was eliminated in straight sets by Rybakina, with the match ending 7-5, 6-2. Swiatek sought to complete her Grand Slam collection, but Rybakina's performance curtailed those ambitions.
Seeded fifth, Rybakina, 26, previously battled to the finals in 2023 but came up short against Aryna Sabalenka. However, this year, she displayed remarkable confidence and skill on Rod Laver Arena, serving 11 aces and hitting 26 winners, clinching eight out of nine games to close the match.
“At the outset, the emotions run high when you reach a final or advance deep in a tournament,” Rybakina said. “Now, I'm just focused on my job and improving daily. It’s just another match.”
Swiatek acknowledged her serving issues during the quarterfinal. “My serve wasn’t as strong as intended. Although I’ve been working on it, old habits sometimes resurface,” she explained. “I’ll continue to work on making those changes.”
Meanwhile, Jessica Pegula, who remains unbeaten in Melbourne this year, triumphed over Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 7-6 (7-1) in an all-American showdown. The sixth seed is fervently pursuing her first major title with strong performances.
“Reaching my first Australian Open semifinal is incredible,” Pegula expressed. “While I’ve progressed further at the US Open, this marks my first significant breakthrough here. I feel confident in these conditions.”
Anisimova struggled with 44 unforced errors, significantly hampering her chances as Pegula displayed significantly fewer mistakes with 21. The loss marked the end of Anisimova's hopes for a third consecutive major title.
With their head-to-head record tied at 3-3, the anticipated semifinal matchup between Pegula and Rybakina promises to be thrilling.
In the other semifinal, two-time champion Aryna Sabalenka will face off against Ukraine’s 12th seed, Elina Svitolina.
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