The Japan Times - Rybakina says making Australian Open semis 'just another day'

The Moscow-born Kazakh bounced back from early serving issues to down the second seed 7-5, 6-1 and will meet Jessica Pegula for a place in Saturday's final.

Rybakina has made the Melbourne final once before, in 2023 when she lost in three tough sets to Aryna Sabalenka. She had not been past the last eight in Melbourne since.

"I think probably now I'm more calm and going deeper in tournaments," she said.

"In the beginning, when it's the first final and you go so far in a tournament, of course you are more emotional.

"Now I feel like I'm just doing my job, trying to improve each day. So it's kind of another day, another match."

The 2022 Wimbledon champion has been one of the tour's form players in recent months, now winning 18 of her last 19 matches with her only loss in the Brisbane quarter-finals this month.

She is into her fourth career Slam semi and first since Wimbledon in 2024.

"The last couple of tournaments I played I gained some confidence throughout tough matches," she said of her stellar recent run.

"Of course, this is something I tried to carry to this year, this season. There's still a lot of things to improve, to work on, but the most important that I'm trying to stay aggressive whenever I get the chance to step in, maybe risk a little bit."

Defeat denied Swiatek a career Grand Slam of all four majors.

She has won four French Opens, the US Open and Wimbledon, but a title at Melbourne Park remains elusive.

"I know what I need to improve, and it's kind of the same stuff that I had in my mind before the tournament as well. So there's no, like, breakthrough lesson," said Swiatek.

"I'm just going to keep doing my job, and hopefully the next tournament I'll get some stuff, you know, settled in terms of what I wanted to do with my game."

- Hitting the mark -

Swiatek and Rybakina had met 11 times before, including five last season, with the Pole holding a narrow 6-5 edge.

But Rybakina won the last encounter at the WTA Finals in Riyadh.

Swiatek forged a break on Rybakina's opening serve, with the Kazakh getting only one of her first serves in, but she struck back immediately to keep the match level.

Rybakina's serve was misfiring and the Pole worked another three break points in the next game, but all were saved as the fifth seed hung on.

The Kazakh made some adjustments and her serve finally started to hit the mark.

There was little to split them until Swiatek served to stay in the set at 5-6 with Rybakina going for her shots and converted on the second set-point opportunity.

The writing was on the wall for Swiatek with Rybakina winning her last 21 matches after taking the first set, and she pounced early with a sizzling forehand return earning a break to love.

She consolidated for 3-0 and when two straight aces made it 4-1 there was no way back for the Pole.

Y.Watanabe--JT