The Blinkova tiebreak effect as Elena Rybakina set for huge ranking slide after record Australian Open loss

Following her historic loss to Anna Blinkova at the 2024 Australian Open, Kazakh tennis star Elena Rybakina will see a significant drop in position on the WTA Ranking table.

The former Wimbledon champion was shocked by a determined Blinkova, who recorded a 4-6 6-4 7-6(20) over the third seed during their second round encounter in Melbourne. Blinkova, who is unseeded at the event, displayed incredible grit as she overcame her Kazakh opponent to record the biggest win of her career.

The World No.3 is set to see a significant drop in rankings at the conclusion of the event Down Under. Rybakina, who finished runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka at last year's edition, will lose 1230 points as a result of her early elimination. This will see her drop down two spots, from World No.3 to No.5 on the WTA Rankings table.

Rybakina won the title in Brisbane a few weeks before the start of the Australian Open. Her form and style of play made her a favorite to lift the title in Melbourne, but the 24-year old's quest for a second Grand Slam title was cut short at the hands of Blinkova, who next faces 26th-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini for a spot in the round of 16.