Australian Open 2023 outcomes: Iga Swiatek loses to Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff out to Jelena Ostapenko

High seed Iga Swiatek is out of the Australian Open after dropping to Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina within the fourth spherical.

However in opposition to Swiatek the Kazakh confirmed once more how she thrives on the large stage, enjoying confidently and powerfully in a 6-4 6-4 win at Melbourne Park.

Lower than half an hour later, Coco Gauff misplaced 7-5 6-3 to Jelena Ostapenko.

American seventh seed Gauff, 18, was among the many favourites for the title however was overpowered by the seventeenth seed from Latvia.

Rybakina, 23, will play former French Open champion Ostapenko within the quarter-finals as a substitute of the match-up between Swiatek and Gauff that many predicted.

“I’m nervous each time I’m on court docket however I attempt to present calm. It’s a huge win and I am completely satisfied to be in one other spherical,” Rybakina mentioned.

Third seed Jessica Pegula, the highest-ranked participant left within the ladies’s draw, got here by means of 7-5 6-2 in opposition to Czech Barbora Krejcikova.

The American will face two-time Melbourne champion Victoria Azarenka within the quarter-finals after Azarenka beat China’s Zhu Lin 4-6 6-1 6-4.

Swiatek ‘wished it an excessive amount of’

Poland’s Swiatek rose to the highest of the world rankings final yr following the retirement of Australia’s Ashleigh Barty, occurring to win the French Open and US Open titles as she dominated the WTA Tour.

She reached the Melbourne semi-finals final yr and, after a exceptional 2022, returned aiming to be the primary ladies since Serena Williams in 2015 to carry three of the 4 main titles.

“I felt like I took a step again when it comes to how I method these tournaments and I perhaps wished it a bit bit too arduous,” she mentioned.

“So I’ll attempt to relax a bit bit extra.”

Rybakina’s success has been extra sporadic. Between claiming essentially the most prestigious title in tennis and the beginning of this yr’s Australian Open, she received simply 14 of her 24 matches and has spoken out in regards to the lack of recognition she feels she has been given.

She has additionally struggled with powerful attracts, along with her world rating decrease than anticipated after receiving no factors for her Wimbledon victory.

However she made one other spectacular assertion at Melbourne Park, reaching the final eight for the primary time with a dominant win over Swiatek.

The pair exchanged breaks early within the opening set earlier than a double fault from Swiatek at 3-3 gave Rybakina one other probability, which she took with a whopping cross-court backhand winner.

A assured maintain to like sealed the one-set benefit, however Swiatek improved initially of the second set and moved right into a 3-0 lead.

Rybakina shortly fought again and levelled for 3-3 as Swiatek struggled to cope with her hefty serve.

She dropped simply six factors on her first serve within the match and registered a powerful held to like to safe victory after breaking for 5-4.

Rybakina says she is not “bothered” about not having earned rating factors at Wimbledon however bettering her world standing is a supply of motivation in Melbourne.

“For positive it is a motivation, however as I mentioned earlier than, each event I come I wish to win and regardless of factors, no factors,” she mentioned.

“I like to compete, regardless of the place I play. For now I’d say that I do not actually have a look at these items.”

Ostapenko has ‘by no means doubted’ she will be able to win one other main

Ostapenko grew to become a teenage champion at French Open nearly six years in the past however a scarcity of deep runs since has seen many write her off as a one-hit marvel.

Nevertheless, in opposition to Gauff she displayed the powerful-hitting and aggression that led her to the Roland Garros title in 2017.

Ostapenko hit 30 winners as she broke Gauff’s serve 3 times and in addition saved seven of eight break alternatives for the American.

Regardless of it being the primary time since Wimbledon in 2018 that Ostapenko has reached a significant quarter-final, the 25-year-old says she “truthfully hasn’t actually doubted” she may win one other.

“My life modified quite a bit, so I wanted a number of years to actually get used to what occurred as a result of I used to be actually younger,” mentioned Ostapenko, who had by no means beforehand gone past the third spherical at Melbourne Park.

“I at all times knew and believed in my recreation. If I play effectively, I can beat nearly anybody.

“I used to be making an attempt to work extra on my consistency, particularly within the pre-season, simply to step on the court docket and play my recreation.”

Gauff had not dropped a set in her earlier three matches, together with a second-round win over British primary Emma Raducanu.

The teenage prodigy, who misplaced to Swiatek in final yr’s French Open closing, grew to become emotional throughout her information convention as her wait to land a significant continues.

“I believe each loss is considerably in my management as a result of I do really feel like I am participant, however right this moment she simply performed higher,” mentioned Gauff.

“There have been moments within the match the place I used to be getting pissed off as a result of I usually can problem-solve, however I really feel like I did not have a lot solutions to what she was doing.

“There was a few issues I may have improved on, however total I believe she deserved to win.”