2023 finalist Elena Rybakina moves to 4-0 against Karolína Plíšková with a 7-6(6), 6-4 win! Faces Anna Blinkova next (AB won only meeting back in 2017). #AusOpen
MATCH REPORT | 2024 Australian Open: Last year's finalist Elena RYBAKINA survives Karolina PLISKOVA scare to open campaign
WTATuesday, 16 January 2024 at 10:42
World Number Three and 2023 Australian Open finalist, Elena Rybakina has been heavily backed to walk away over the next two weeks with the title in Melbourne. But it wasn't an easy start to say the least as she battled former World Number One, Karolina Pliskova.
A danger draw for anyone with the pedigree of Pliskova evident and despite sitting just inside the World's Top 40, she has proven recently that won't be for long. While Rybakina who opened up by winning Brisbane showed some frailties after deciding also to play Adelaide last week. But won through 7-6, 6-4 in a tight clash.
Pliskova won the first eight points of the tie including an emphatic break of serve early on and made it 2-0. But then instead of building on that, Rybakina hit back to level the scoreline at 2-2. Fairly comfortable service holds back and forth followed with neither player giving an inch and it went all the way to a tiebreak as a result.
But it was one that Rybakina had to show real grit and determination to overcome and was very much the turning point in the match early as well. She was set point up 40-15 on the serve of Pliskova to take it 7-5 and then had to play a tie-break which saw the tables turned as she went 4-1 and 6-3 down tasting three set points herself before turning it around to win 7-6.
She then took the vital break in the second set which set her on the way to victory with a 2-1 lead turning into 3-1, 4-2 and 5-3. She could've won it even earlier at 5-4 with a match point coming and going but she finally got over the line on her fourth Match Point at 6-4. Next up for Rybakina is Anna Blinkova with potentially Jasmine Paolini in the third round.
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