7 hours ago
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After putting Swiatek under pressure for no immediate gain, I’d not be surprised to see Rybakina broken immediately – the respective mentality of these two is perhaps the biggest difference between them. And sure enough, Swiatek makes 15-40, Rybakina errs on the forehand, and that’s 2-0.
Rybakina starts well, hitting cleanly and through the ball, backhand winner earning her break point at 30-40; Swiatek, though, responds well, hooking a forehand winner for deuce before closing out for 1-0. Already, you can se the difference in how they move, Swiatek lithe, agile and flexible and Rybaklina a little laboured and flat-footed in comparison.
…ready, play.
Out come our players…
So how does Rybakina win? Aside from playing well, she might want to target Swiatek’s sometimes-dicky forehand and deny her angle by hitting down the middle.
Rybakina, meanwhile, needs to improve her consistency on the forehand, but also her ability to stay level through matches. She’s more than capable, but I’d back Swiatek to munch her today.
Swiatek is up there with the most relentlessly, murderously focused competitors in all sport, and it’s great to see her back to her best. She’s not unbeatable because there are others with more power and bigger shots, able to hit through her, but her all-round game might be the most complete.
Preamble
Hello there and welcome to this Monday’s meeting of the Gleeful Hand-Rubbing Society.
I mean, just look at what’s in store. We begin with the winners from the first round of matches, Iga Swiatek – back to her menacing, intimidating best – against Elena Rybakina, who’s not trained on as expected since winning Wimbledon in 2022, but when she’s at it has the easy, joyful power to ruin anyone.
Likewise Amanda Anisimova – surely a future Grand Slam winner and this year’s runner-up at Wimbledon and Flushing Meadow. She takes on against Madison Keys, the Australian Open champ – words I’ll never tire of typing – with the loser eliminated. I’d not want to be a ball in that one, which is lucky, as I’m not, but even if I was, everyone else would be in for a treat.
Play: 5pm local, 2pm GMT
