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Elena Rybakina wins the second set 6-1 to force a decider with Iga Swiatek
Seven straight errors now, as Rybakina makes 30-0, then raises three set points with a serve/overhead combo. She only needs one, and was as solid as Swiatek was dodgy.
Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina in action. Photograph: Hamad I Mohammed/ReutersShare
Updated at 16.28 CET
An ace gives Swiatek 30-15, but a shanked backhand puts her under a bit of pressure. Rybakina, who’s responding really well to losing the first set, can’t then take advantage of a second serve, but when a backhand goes into the net, she makes deuce. And have a look! Swiatek nets a forehand after Rybakina swings a flat one at her, butchers another backhand, this time long, and that was a dreadful game from the Wimbledon champ, five errors offering the Kazakh a chance to serve for the second set at 3-6 5-1.
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Swiatek has been returning from further back than usual, but down 40-30 and facing a second serve, she steps in a little … to make deuce. Rybakina, though, responds with a one-two of booming serve and forehand, then again, the latter shot coming off the back foot; her power is so natural and loose. Swiatek leads 6-3 1-4.
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Now Swiatek holds to love to get on the board in set two, but she can put Rybakina under pressure with her returns?
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Now then. Rybakina rushes through her first love hold of the match an exclamation mark affixed to it with the ace that seals the deal. Swiatek leads 6-3 0-3 and is currently second-best, outhit – in this set – from the baseline.
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Swiatek flaps a backhand long, but two well directed forehands take her to 30-15 … before a Rybakina mishit forces her into a moon-ball that drops long. Then, at 30-all, a double donates break point; these are big moments in the context of the match and when Swiatek tries a body-serve, the return is good enough to force her to net; she’s precisely as ecstatic as you’d expect her to be. Rybakina trails 3-6 2-0, and if she can consolidate, we’ll really be talking.
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Rybakina could really use a comfy hold here, to focus on trying for a break without the mental stress of having just fought off an attack. And from 15-30, three good points mean she’ll be receiving in decent heart, down 3-6 1-o but playing better than before.
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Iga Swiatek takes the first set against Elena Rybakina 6-3
A wrong-footing backhand down the line gives Swiatek 15-0, but Rybakina responds with a winner of her own, another of those hooked forehands. But two errors then give Swiatek two sets points, and though she burns the first, a service winner secures the set.
Poland’s Iga Swiatek in action. Photograph: Stéphanie Lecocq/ReutersShare
Updated at 16.01 CET
Rybakina’s forehand, when it works, is a helluva weapon; it’s not just the power, but her ability to hook it at the last second, so a ball that looks to be going line ends up leaping cross. She holds to 15, securing the game with an ace, and at 5-3, Swiatek will now serve for the first set.
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A big forehand earns Rybakina 15-all, then Swiatek nets a forehand and suddenly faces a bit of pressure following three love holds. But a forehand which drops fractionally long, then another which is more so, means it’s soon 40-30, a return then flies beyond the baseline, and at 5-2 Swiatek is a game away from the first set.
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Three service winners get Rybakina to 40-15, then a wrong-footing forehand secures the hold for 2-4. She’s playing a bit better now, but can she find anything on the Swiatek serve?
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And barely have I hit save than Swiatek holds to love. After facing a break point in the opening game of the match, she’s all over it and leads 4-1, sticking Rybakina on her bike so she can’t plant feet and thwack.
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Rybakina again finds herself behind on serve and, down 15-30, hits a decent forehand. But forced to come in and volley, she’s tentative, dumping into the net, and must now face two further break points. This time, though, she finds the booming deliveries she needs to make deuce, and from there she closes out for 3-1 Swiatek.
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Swiatek consolidates easily, sealing the deal with an ace, and you can feel her intensity assaulting you through the screen. She leads 3-0, and Rybakina needs to keep the head while finding some first serves.
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After putting Swiatek under pressure for no immediate gain, I’d not be surprised to see Rybakina broken immediately – the respective mentality of these two is perhaps the biggest difference between them. And sure enough, Swiatek makes 15-40, Rybakina errs on the forehand, and that’s 2-0.
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Rybakina starts well, hitting cleanly and through the ball, backhand winner earning her break point at 30-40; Swiatek, though, responds well, hooking a forehand winner for deuce before closing out for 1-0. Already, you can se the difference in how they move, Swiatek lithe, agile and flexible and Rybaklina a little laboured and flat-footed in comparison.
Elena Rybakina returns to Iga Swiatek. Photograph: Hamad I Mohammed/ReutersShare
Updated at 15.25 CET
…ready, play.
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Out come our players…
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So how does Rybakina win? Aside from playing well, she might want to target Swiatek’s sometimes-dicky forehand and deny her angle by hitting down the middle.
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Rybakina, meanwhile, needs to improve her consistency on the forehand, but also her ability to stay level through matches. She’s more than capable, but I’d back Swiatek to munch her today.
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Swiatek is up there with the most relentlessly, murderously focused competitors in all sport, and it’s great to see her back to her best. She’s not unbeatable because there are others with more power and bigger shots, able to hit through her, but her all-round game might be the most complete.
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Preamble
Hello there and welcome to this Monday’s meeting of the Gleeful Hand-Rubbing Society.
I mean, just look at what’s in store. We begin with the winners from the first round of matches, Iga Swiatek – back to her menacing, intimidating best – against Elena Rybakina, who’s not trained on as expected since winning Wimbledon in 2022, but when she’s at it has the easy, joyful power to ruin anyone.
Likewise Amanda Anisimova – surely a future Grand Slam winner and this year’s runner-up at Wimbledon and Flushing Meadow. She takes on against Madison Keys, the Australian Open champ – words I’ll never tire of typing – with the loser eliminated. I’d not want to be a ball in that one, which is lucky, as I’m not, but even if I was, everyone else would be in for a treat.
Play: 5pm local, 2pm GMT
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