Rybakina defeats injury-hit rival to make Wimbledon last eight

By AFP
July 09, 2024
Former champion Elena Rybakina acknowledges the Wimbledon crowd after her win.— AFP/file

LONDON: Former champion Elena Rybakina defeated an injury-hit Anna Kalinskaya to reach her third successive Wimbledon quarter-final on Monday.

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World number four Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon winner from Kazakhstan, took the first set against the 18th-ranked Russian 6-3 on Centre Court. Kalinskaya required a medical time-out at 3-4 down to treat what appeared to be neck and wrist injuries. Rybakina then won the next five games before Kalinskaya called it quits.

Moscow-born Rybakina has now joined Margaret Court, Maria Sharapova, Evonne Goolagong, Chris Evert and Billie Jean King by winning 18 of her first 20 matches at Wimbledon. She will take on either Elina Svitolina, the 21st seed from Ulkraine, or Wang Xinyu of China for a place in the semi-finals.

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