Elena Rybakina advanced to the Australian Open quarterfinals with a straight-sets victory over Elise Mertens, extending her dominance in their head-to-head. She will now face world No. 2 Iga Swiatek, who leads their rivalry 6-5. Both players emphasized the need for aggression in their upcoming match.
Elena Rybakina continued her strong run at the 2026 Australian Open by defeating 21st seed Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-3 on Sunday night at Margaret Court Arena, reaching the quarterfinals for the second time since her 2023 final appearance. The match lasted 1 hour and 17 minutes, with Rybakina not dropping a set in the tournament so far. Her path included wins over Kaja Juvan, Varvara Gracheva, Tereza Valentova, and now Mertens, marking her sixth straight victory over the Belgian.
Rybakina's performance was powered by her serve and return game. She hit 10 aces, bringing her tournament total to 24 and placing her second in the field after Wang Xinyu's elimination. She landed 66% of first serves (32/49), winning 72% of those points, and claimed 71% on second serves. With 32 winners and 22 unforced errors, she converted 4 of 9 break points, including key backhand winners off Mertens' second serve, where the Belgian landed only 47% of first serves.
"I think movement was a bit better than the previous matches. Also, the serve was working," Rybakina said. "Today was hot, so the ball was flying a lot. I got some good service games." Looking ahead to her quarterfinal against Iga Swiatek, she added, "We played many times. I know I need to stay aggressive and go for my shots... The focus for me is my serve and to stay aggressive."
Swiatek, meanwhile, advanced with a 6-0, 6-3 win over qualifier Maddison Inglis at Rod Laver Arena. The world No. 2, seeking her first Australian Open title to complete a career Grand Slam, downplayed their head-to-head. "I wouldn’t say head-to-head matters... Every match is a different story," she said. "Every match she’s been a tough opponent, and her tennis for sure is great. I need to be 100 percent ready."
Swiatek has reached the semifinals here twice before, in 2019 and last year, while Rybakina aims for her second major after Wimbledon 2022. Their 12th meeting promises a tight battle under Melbourne's hot conditions.
