Elena Rybakina again showed why she’s renowned as a big-match player on Wednesday, defeating world No.2 Iga Swiatek in straight sets to advance to the final four of Australian Open 2026.
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Rybakina’s 7-5 6-1 victory was her eighth win in a row against top 10 players, something only two other women – Ash Barty and Swiatek herself – have achieved since 2020.
Unplayable at her best, the Kazakhstani is building serious form, having won 18 of her past 19 tour-level matches going back to October last year.
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This makes her the first woman to do so since Swiatek did it between Wimbledon and the US Open last year.
“The last couple tournaments I played, I gained some confidence throughout tough matches and of course this is something I try to carry to this year,” Rybakina, who won the WTA Finals in November, told media in Melbourne.
“I'm trying to stay aggressive whenever I get a chance – to step in, maybe risk a little bit.”
“Even today, a couple of shots were very close to the line or on the line.”
Underscoring her prime-time credentials, the 26-year-old is the only active player to have beaten Swiatek more than once at Grand Slam level.
What’s more, of the four matches she’s played against top-two players at majors, she’s won three – overcoming Swiatek twice and Ons Jabeur once.
It marks a resurgence for the world No. 5, who last season didn’t reach the quarterfinals at any major for the first time since 2020.
Rybakina’s big serve has been a key part of her recent form. Her 516 aces led the WTA tour last year, an astonishing 143 more than second-placed Linda Noskova.
She’s also fired down the most aces in the women’s singles draw at Melbourne Park so far, with 35.
Rybakina will battle Jessica Pegula on Thursday for a place in what would be her second AO final, having finished runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka in 2023.
“[Pegula’s a] very experienced opponent and she moves well,” Rybakina said.
“Also her ball stays quite low … that makes [it] a bit difficult sometimes to play her. But I will try to adjust and yeah, we'll see who's gonna win.”