Alexandrova routs Rybakina to reach Adelaide semis

Agency :
Australian Open runner-up Elena Rybakina was handed a humbling defeat ahead of the year’s first Grand Slam as the world number three was beaten 6-3, 6-3 by the unseeded Ekaterina Alexandrova in the Adelaide International quarter-finals on Thursday.

Kazakh Rybakina laid down a marker by beating Melbourne Park champion Aryna Sabalenka in Sunday’s Brisbane final but was well off the pace against world number 21 Alexandrova as she sought a second win in their fourth meeting.

The top seed found herself 4-0 down following an error-prone start before clawing her way back with some fierce ball-striking but the counter-punching Alexandrova held firm and broke again to clinch the opening set.

Rybakina, who meets Karolina Pliskova in her first clash at the Jan 14-28 Australian Open, fell behind even further in the next set and mounted another comeback before Alexandrova fought back from 0-40 down at 5-3 to clinch the win.

Up next for Alexandrova is former world number five Jelena Ostapenko, who continued to gain momentum for another tilt at a Grand Slam title with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Marta Kostyuk.

The 12th-ranked Latvian, who made her major breakthrough by claiming the 2017 French Open title, is beginning to rediscover her best form having also made the Brisbane quarter-finals and came through a tight first set against her Ukrainian opponent.