Elena Rybakina was at her clinical best on Monday, triumphing 6-1 6-3 over 21st seed Elise Mertens to secure a coveted berth in the Australian Open 2026 quarterfinals.
The fifth seed struck 32 winners, including 10 aces, and won 72 per cent of first serve points in a dominant performance on Margaret Court Arena. By doing so, she booked the seventh Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance of her career and first since 2024 Wimbledon.
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“I’m happy that I stayed aggressive…happy to get through another round,” said Rybakina, humbly acknowledging that she landed “some good serves.”
Under a cloudless sky, the AO 2023 finalist saved what turned out to be the only break point she would face in the…