Elena Rybakina shocked by Anna Blinkova at the Australian Open after longest-ever Grand Slam tie-break
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Updated 18/01/2024 at 16:20 GMT
Anna Blinkova pulled off the biggest win of her career so far by knocking out Elena Rybakina in straight sets in the second round of the Australian Open. The 25-year-old Russian had never beaten a player ranked as highly as the third seed, but finally held her nerve to beat the former Wimbledon champion in a record-breaking 42-point tie-break, 6-4 4-6 7-6(20).
'Wow!' - Incredible winner from Rybakina when match point down
Elena Rybakina suffered a shock second-round Australian Open exit as Anna Blinkova pulled off the biggest win of her career following a record-breaking deciding set tie-break.
The third seed and last year's runner-up lost 6-4 4-6 7-6(20) to the Russian, who is down at 57th in the world rankings, in one of the biggest surprises of the tournament so far.
The 42-point tie-break in the final set was the longest-ever singles tie-break played at a Grand Slam.
Blinkova had only previously beaten top-10 players twice, against the-then world No. 8 Belinda Bencic in 2020, and at last year's French Open, when she was victorious against Caroline Garcia - who was fifth at the time.
In breezy conditions, Rybakina, who lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the 2023 final, made a solid start but found herself up against an opponent who began the match in inspired form.
Blinkova’s serving was firing and at one stage in the middle of the first set, she was winning 91 per cent of points when she got her first serve in. The Russian’s hitting was big too and a cross-court passing short in the third game brought up break point, which she took when Rybakina hit a return into the net.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion was not playing badly but both players traded service games as Blinkova closed out the opening set 6-4.
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Blinkova saves match point with unbelievable defensive play
The second set started much the same as the second but Blinkova’s level remained the same. Rybakina looked in little trouble when she went 40-0 up on serve in the third game, but her opponent kept chipping away.
Blinkova fought back to earn a break point with a backhand winner, before a forehand which kissed the line proved too much for Rybakina, to go a break up at the same point as the first set.
This time, the Kazakh responded impressively as Blinkova’s serve finally started to falter. Rybakina brought up break point in the next game and pounced on a second serve, taking control of the rally before levelling the score at 2-2.
With Rybakina leading 5-4, a double fault from Blinkova and a return into the net brought up 30-40. The world No. 3 hit a brutal backhand cross court which set up an easy put away to take the match into a decider.
Blinkova took a break off court and came back with a clear attacking mindset and the third game was clearly becoming her favourite. For a third successive set she broke at the same point, outlasting Rybakina in a rally.
Rybakina knew she had to go for broke and she put pressure on in the eighth game, as Blinkova started to show her nerves with a double fault and two wild shots which brought up a break-back point.
Rybakina took advantage with a winner which wrong-footed Blinkova and just clipped the line to make it 4-4.
It was a lifeline for Rybakina but she found herself on the back foot again when she produced just her second double fault of the match at deuce and then went wide to hand Blinkova a chance to serve for the match.
The Russian was on the brink of her biggest win but the game got away from her quickly, with Rybakina levelling yet again, this time to love in less than two minutes.
But the serve was becoming a “hot potato”, as former British player Miles Maclagan said on Eurosport and discovery+ commentary, and for the fourth game running there was a service break, giving Blinkova yet another chance to go for victory.
Blinkova brought up match point at 40-30 by grinding down Rybakina in a rally, but the Kazakh produced a winner on the angle. Another match point came and went but again Rybakina broke back to secure a 10-point tie break.
The Russian took the early advantage by going 4-1 up but Rybakina reeled off four straight points to change momentum. It swung again though when Blinkova hit a sublime winner down the line to bring up another two match points at 9-7. The first was saved with a shot into the net - but the next would be on her own serve.
Blinkova went long after a fierce return from Rybakina. More match points came and went for both players as the tie-break went long into double figures as the tension continued to rise inside the Rod Laver Arena.
There were 20 minutes on the clock for the tie-break alone when players switched side at 15-15 and Rybakina pulled off a stunning winner when the pressure was on at 17-16 down.
Blinkova then made an incredible save on match point down as the quality of tennis continued to ramp up as they reached 20-20.
Finally, Blinkova secured the best win of her life on her 10th match point, ending the tie-break after more than half an hour when Rybakina went wide with a backhand at the net.
Blinkova next plays 26th seed Jasmine Paolini.
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