Brisbane International | Karolina Muchova ends Elena Rybakina’s 13-match winning streak to reach semifinals

Karolina Muchova ended Elena Rybakina’s winning streak by defeating her 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 to advance to the semifinals of the Brisbane International. The Kazakh had come into the match with 13 consecutive wins, including two titles at the end of 2025 in Ningbo and the WTA Finals.

Rybakina had defeated qualifier Shuai Zhang (6-3, 7-5) and 15th seed Paula Badosa (6-3, 6-2) without major problems, though she admitted she struggled with her serve against Badosa, landing just 46% of first serves.

For Muchova, the campaign began with a tough match against Ajla Tomljanovic (No. 78), a two-hour and 40-minute battle that ended in a third-set tiebreak victory for the Czech. In the second round, Muchova defeated world No. 10 Ekaterina Alexandrova in straight sets, claiming her first Top-10 win of the season and the 16th of her career.

Rybakina (No. 5) entered the match as the favorite, given her winning streak, but her serving issues raised doubts despite her previous victories. She faced a couple of early break points but managed to stay level through several games, while Muchova imposed herself with strong serving, taking easy service games at the start.

The score was 2-2 when Muchova took control of the match. She earned two consecutive breaks and did not falter on serve, winning five games in a row to close the first set 6-2. Rybakina, the former French Open runner-up, conceded just four points on her serve, winning 92% of first-serve points, compared to 73% for Rybakina.

In the second set, the Kazakh continued struggling with her first serve — as she had against Badosa — winning fewer than 50% of first-serve points. She needed the second set to push forward but was caught off guard by a lapse from Muchova at the start, allowing Muchova to break. Rybakina quickly accelerated to take a 4-1 lead.

The 26-year-old Kazakh maintained focus to the end — despite serving doubts — and closed the set comfortably 6-2, while Muchova committed too many unforced errors, leaving several balls in the net on aggressive backhand attempts.

The third set was a rollercoaster, with opportunities for both players. Rybakina saved a couple of break points in the first game, winning eight points to recover and then earn a blank break. For the first time, her first serve was more reliable, but it was not enough to control the match.

Muchova stayed composed, not intimidated by the deficit. She immediately recovered the break in the next game, leveling the score at 2-2. From that point, she conceded just three more points on serve, taking several easy service games.

Rybakina’s serving struggles in the final stages ultimately cost her the match. At 4-4, she missed her first serves, and Muchova’s aggressive baseline returns created too much pressure. Muchova broke and then served out the match, advancing to the semifinals of a WTA tournament for the first time since Dubai 2025 — 11 months ago.

In the semifinals, Muchova will face the winner of the match between world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and world No. 9 Madison Keys, which will be a repeat of the Australian Open 2025 final.