Rybakina and Pegula Steal Australian Open Showdowns from Higher Seeds Swiatek and Anisimova
In a stunning turn of events, Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula have pulled off significant upsets at the Australian Open, sending higher-seeded opponents Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova packing in the quarterfinals.
In a closely contested match, Rybakina took advantage of Swiatek's error-prone performance, outmaneuvering her opponent to claim a 7-5, 6-1 victory. The second seed committed a staggering 25 unforced errors, while Rybakina displayed greater composure on the court, landing 25 winners and 19 unforced errors.
When asked about her win, Rybakina expressed satisfaction with her performance, saying she was "really pleased" to have come out on top. She acknowledged that both players had a good understanding of each other's styles but chose to adopt an aggressive approach in the match.
Rybakina's victory marked a significant milestone in her career, as it propelled her into the Australian Open semifinals for the first time since Wimbledon in 2024. The 26-year-old has made two major finals appearances so far, with her last outing ending in defeat at the Australian Open earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Pegula continued to defy expectations, stunning fellow American Anisimova and making history by becoming the first woman in the Open Era to reach three major semifinals after turning 30. The 31-year-old Buffalo native cruised through the first set against her opponent before neither player managed a break serve for several games.
As the match wore on, Pegula capitalized on Anisimova's waning fortunes, ultimately forcing a tiebreaker that she won convincingly with seven consecutive points. Upon reflection on her match-winning performance, Pegula stated, "I was like, 'It's got to be coming, you know. The next round, I've got to get to the semi,' because I feel like I play some really good tennis here and I like the conditions."
The news of these upsets has significant implications for the remaining contenders at the Australian Open. With Pegula set to take on either Aryna Sabalenka or Coco Gauff in the semifinals, she will be making her second major final appearance this year. Rybakina, meanwhile, faces a tougher challenge ahead as she prepares to face either Ons Jabeur or Victoria Azarenka in the last four.
In a stunning turn of events, Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula have pulled off significant upsets at the Australian Open, sending higher-seeded opponents Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova packing in the quarterfinals.
In a closely contested match, Rybakina took advantage of Swiatek's error-prone performance, outmaneuvering her opponent to claim a 7-5, 6-1 victory. The second seed committed a staggering 25 unforced errors, while Rybakina displayed greater composure on the court, landing 25 winners and 19 unforced errors.
When asked about her win, Rybakina expressed satisfaction with her performance, saying she was "really pleased" to have come out on top. She acknowledged that both players had a good understanding of each other's styles but chose to adopt an aggressive approach in the match.
Rybakina's victory marked a significant milestone in her career, as it propelled her into the Australian Open semifinals for the first time since Wimbledon in 2024. The 26-year-old has made two major finals appearances so far, with her last outing ending in defeat at the Australian Open earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Pegula continued to defy expectations, stunning fellow American Anisimova and making history by becoming the first woman in the Open Era to reach three major semifinals after turning 30. The 31-year-old Buffalo native cruised through the first set against her opponent before neither player managed a break serve for several games.
As the match wore on, Pegula capitalized on Anisimova's waning fortunes, ultimately forcing a tiebreaker that she won convincingly with seven consecutive points. Upon reflection on her match-winning performance, Pegula stated, "I was like, 'It's got to be coming, you know. The next round, I've got to get to the semi,' because I feel like I play some really good tennis here and I like the conditions."
The news of these upsets has significant implications for the remaining contenders at the Australian Open. With Pegula set to take on either Aryna Sabalenka or Coco Gauff in the semifinals, she will be making her second major final appearance this year. Rybakina, meanwhile, faces a tougher challenge ahead as she prepares to face either Ons Jabeur or Victoria Azarenka in the last four.
, they're about human potential and perseverance 
. I mean, Rybakina and Pegula could've easily got discouraged by facing top-seeds, but instead, they chose to own the moment and seize their chances 
. It's like they were saying, "Hey, we've got this!" 
. It's all about growth and learning from setbacks 
.
. Is it something we can consistently achieve, or is it just a fleeting feeling? And what does it mean for our mental health and well-being when we don't reach those high expectations? 
. Pegula's achievement is particularly inspiring - 31 and still killing it on the court 
️.
. We've just got to learn to roll with them and trust ourselves to adapt and thrive 
WHAT A WEEK IN TENNIS!!! 
I KNEW RYBAKINA HAD IT IN HER TO PULL OFF THOSE UPSETS, SHE'S BEEN ON FIRE SINCE WIMBLEDON!!! 
AND PEUGULA IS LIKE THE ULTIMATE UNDERDOG STORY, 30 AND ALREADY IN THREE MAJOR SEMIS... THAT'S JUST INSANE!!! 
Elena Rybakina is on FIRE right now and I'm loving her confidence after that win! 
She totally outplayed Swiatek and deserved that W. 
She's an inspiration to us all, you know?! 
. Rybakina's win was impressive, but I'm more impressed by Pegula's mental toughness – I mean, 30 and still killing it on the court? 
.
I mean, Swiatek was supposed to be a shoo-in for the semis, but Rybakina's composure and accuracy won out in the end. And then there's Pegula - she's been flying under the radar all tournament, but her aggressive playing style is really paying off 
!
25 unforced errors from Swiatek is a whole new level of error-prone... like what even is that?