Rybakina Upsets World No. 1 Swiatek to Reach Stuttgart Open Final
In a captivating clash at the Stuttgart Open, fourth seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan ended world number one Iga Swiatek’s recent dominance, winning in three sets to reach the final. Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, displayed her resilience and skill, defeating the Polish top seed 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, and halting Swiatek’s 10-match win streak at the prestigious WTA 500 event.
“It was, like always, a very tough match, and I was fighting for every ball,” said Rybakina after the hard-fought victory. “I’m really happy that I managed to win and I showed a good game.”
Swiatek, a four-time Grand Slam winner, started the match brightly on her favored clay surface, breaking in the opening game and holding serve. However, Rybakina quickly found her rhythm, winning five consecutive games to clinch the first set.
The second set saw both players hold serve for the first nine games, before Swiatek finally broke through to force a deciding third set. Undeterred, Rybakina rallied, breaking Swiatek’s serve to take a 3-2 lead in the final set and then securing a second break to seal the victory.
Rybakina will now face Ukraine’s unseeded Marta Kostyuk in Sunday’s final, after Kostyuk came back from 5-1 down in the opening set to defeat sixth seed and Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic 7-6(2), 6-2.
This captivating encounter at the Stuttgart Open showcases the depth and competitive nature of the women’s Tennis landscape, as Rybakina, the Wimbledon champion, outmaneuvered the world’s top-ranked player to reach the final.
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