The Australian Open took a surprising turn in just 18 hours as World No. 2 Iga Swiatek and No. 3 Coco Gauff were knocked out in the quarter-finals. Gauff lost quickly to 12th seed Elina Svitolina, putting up a score of 1-6, 2-6. Less than a day later, Swiatek faced off against former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and also fell in straight sets, 5-7, 1-6.
What’s remarkable here is that two grand slam champions were eliminated in under three hours of play. Gauff has already won the US Open and French Open, while Swiatek has captured four French Open titles, in addition to one each at Wimbledon and the US Open.
The outcomes mean that all winners of the past five French Open titles and the last two US Open champions have been sent home packing. For Swiatek, who has never made it past the semi-finals in Australia, this loss is significant. With this defeat, she’s one step further from completing her career grand slam, needing the Australian Open title to do so.
Rybakina’s victory over Swiatek marks their ongoing rivalry, now tied with six wins each. After the match, Rybakina commented on their familiarity: “We know each other pretty well. I just tried to stay aggressive.” She mentioned that she felt she played more freely as the match progressed.
Fans were shocked by the swift elimination of these top players. Social media reactions flooded in, with many expressing disbelief. One fan noted, “Really thought one of Iga and Coco would at least make the semis but they both got outplayed BAD.” Another user tweeted, “Iga and Coco losing in straight sets was not on my bingo card.”
Looking ahead, Rybakina is trying to improve on her runner-up finish at last year’s Australian Open. She’s set to face Jessica Pegula, who recently beat Amanda Anisimova in a tight match. Pegula, a sixth seed, came back from behind in the second set to secure her spot in the semi-finals.
The upsets at this year’s Australian Open serve as a reminder that anything can happen in sports. The unpredictability keeps fans engaged and highlights the growing competitiveness in women’s tennis.
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Australian Open, Coco Gauff, Elina Svitolina, French Open, Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, grand slam champion
