Swiatek meets Rybakina in AO quarters
AFP, Melbourne :
Iga Swiatek said on Monday she will draw on her experience and knowledge of playing Elena Rybakina 11 times when they clash once more in the Australian Open (AO) quarter-finals.
The six-time major champion set up a showdown with the Kazakh fifth seed by ending the fairytale run of Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis with a rampant display.
The Polish second seed, who is chasing a maiden Melbourne title, was in a different class to the Australian with a 6-0, 6-3 demolition job on Rod Laver Arena.
Rybakina, who crushed Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-3, will be a much harder proposition when they meet for a place in the last four.
The pair have faced each other many times over the years, with Swiatek holding a 6-5 advantage.
“I wouldn’t say head-to-head matters, because even when one of us was winning, it was always a tight match, or she beat me easy,” said the Pole.
“Doesn’t matter, doesn’t make sense to overanalyse who won the last ones or how it has been looking. Every match is a different story.
“Every match she’s been a tough opponent, and her tennis for sure is great. I need to be 100 percent ready and go for it and use my experience and also the knowledge from previous matches.”
Swiatek’s victory over Inglis brought to a close the Australian’s “life-changing” run.
Inglis was thrust into the primetime contest when Naomi Osaka withdrew from their third-round match with injury, earning her Aus$480,000 (US$330,000) and crucial ranking points.
But, as expected, her tournament went no further with Swiatek on a mission.
“I felt pretty confident from the beginning,” said Swiatek, who has won four French Opens, the US Open and Wimbledon, but is yet to lift the trophy in Melbourne.
Last year, she surged into the last four but failed to get past eventual winner Madison Keys.
Swiatek made a fast start, holding to love and breaking Inglis straight away.
When the Australian won her first point of the match the home crowd let out a massive roar, but they had little more to cheer about as a red-hot Swiatek got to work.
She was totally dominant in racing 5-0 clear and wrapped up the set in 32 minutes, with Inglis winning just 13 points.
Against the odds, three consecutive unforced errors handed Inglis a break in the first game of set two, with the 28-year-old throwing her arms in the air and celebrating as if she had won the match.
Her joy was short-lived with Swiatek immediately breaking back and romping home with minimum fuss.