Queen of consistency: Elena RYBAKINA unlocks feat not achieved in 12 years in reaching fifth final of 2024
WTASunday, 21 April 2024 at 05:00
Elena Rybakina reaches her
fifth final of the season and becomes the first player since Victoria Azarenka
in 2012 to achieve this feat in the first four months of the year. The
Kazakhstani will seek her third title of the season at the BMW Munich Open as
she faces Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk (No. 27).
The 2022 Wimbledon champion
secured the title in the first week of competition at the Brisbane
International, defeating Aryna Sabalenka 6-0, 6-3. Later, she reached the final
of the WTA 500 Abu Dhabi Open, this time overcoming Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-4. A
week later, she fell in the final of the WTA 1000 Doha Open to Iga Swiatek 6-7,
2-6. Her previous final was at the WTA 1000 Miami Open, where she once again
came up short, losing to local Danielle Collins (5-7, 3-6).
In the three matches she
played in the tournament, she exceeded two hours of play and had to take the
match to the third set. She began her journey by defeating Russian Veronika
Kudermetova (No.19) 7-6(3), 1-6, 6-4. In the quarterfinals, she defeated
Italian Jasmine Paolini (No. 14) by 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, and it took her almost three
hours to defeat Iga Swiatek for the fourth time in her career.
The Ice Queen achieves a
record of 25-4 victories (86.2%) this season (3-1 against top-10 players). This
marks her fifth final of the season before the end of April, something no
player had achieved since Victoria Azarenka's excellent start to the season in
2012.
The consistency of Rybakina is
evident as she reached the final of the tournament in five of the seven
tournaments she played, only failing at the Australian Open (defeat in the
second round against Anna Blinkova) and in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis
Championships, where she withdrew before the quarterfinal match against Jasmine
Paolini.
Rybakina at 2024 Miami Open final
Throwback to 2012 Victoria Azarenka season
The Belarusian started the
season as world No. 3 and had an extraordinary streak of 26 consecutive
victories. First, she won the Sydney International, then secured her first
Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, where she also claimed the world No. 1
ranking by defeating Maria Sharapova in the final. She then went on to win the
Qatar Open and Indian Wells titles but ended her streak in the quarterfinals of
the Miami Open against world No. 7 Marion Bartoli.
Azarenka began the clay swing
at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix and fulfilled her fifth final in less than
four months but was defeated by world No. 2 Maria Sharapova. The 2-times Grand
Slam champion then won four out of the five finals she contested.
During the rest of the season,
she won two more titles at the China Open and Linz Open, besides finishing as
the runner-up at the US Open against Serena Williams. Remarkably, Azarenka also
won the gold medal in mixed doubles at the London 2012 Olympics, partnering
with compatriot Max Mirny. She also
won the bronze medal in singles.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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