Australian Open 2026: — The Australian Open just delivered one of its biggest shocks. Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina knocked out world number 2 Iga Swiatek in straight sets, ending the Polish star’s dream of completing a career Grand Slam.
Rybakina Dominates Swiatek at Rod Laver Arena
Wednesday’s quarterfinal match at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena didn’t go the way most people expected. Rybakina came out swinging and never let Swiatek get comfortable. The final score? 7-5, 6-1 in favor of the Kazakh powerhouse.
The whole thing was over in just 1 hour and 35 minutes. That’s pretty quick for a Grand Slam quarterfinal, showing just how dominant Rybakina was.
Match Stats: The Numbers Tell the Story
| Player | Aces | Winners | Unforced Errors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elena Rybakina | 11 | 26 | – |
| Iga Swiatek | – | 10 | 25 |
Look at those numbers. Rybakina fired 11 aces and hit 26 winners. Meanwhile, Swiatek could only manage 10 winners and made 25 unforced errors. That’s not the kind of performance we usually see from the world number 2.
What Went Wrong for Swiatek?
This loss hurts for Swiatek. She came to Melbourne hoping to win her first Australian Open title, which would have completed her career Grand Slam. But Rybakina’s aggressive serving and precise groundstrokes were just too much to handle.
The first set was close at 7-5, but the second set? Total domination. Rybakina won 6-1, barely giving Swiatek a chance to breathe.
Rybakina’s Semifinal Challenge
With this huge win, Rybakina moves into the semifinals. Her next opponent? America’s Jessica Pegula. That match is going to be interesting because both players have been in great form.
Djokovic Makes History Too
While Rybakina was making headlines, Serbian legend Novak Djokovic was quietly making history on the men’s side.
He beat Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp to reach the fourth round. Sounds normal, right? Except this was Djokovic’s 400th Grand Slam match win. No other player in the Open Era has that many.
And there’s more. This was also his 102nd win at the Australian Open specifically, tying Roger Federer’s all-time record at this tournament.
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What This Means
Rybakina’s victory proves she’s a serious threat to anyone. Her powerful serve and aggressive baseline game make her dangerous on hard courts. Swiatek will need to regroup and figure out what went wrong.
For tennis fans, this Australian Open keeps getting more exciting. The women’s draw is wide open now, and Rybakina looks hungry for her second Grand Slam title.
The semifinals are coming up fast, and after today’s upset, nobody’s taking anything for granted anymore.
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