2026 Australian Open: Rybakina vs Mertens
Elena Rybakina made a masterclass performance on Monday and defeated 21st seed Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-3 to guarantee her place in the Australian Open 2026 quarterfinals.
The fifth seed was in clinical form on Margaret Court Arena, hitting 32 winners (including 10 aces) and winning 72% of her first serve points. This victory is the seventh quarterfinal Grand Slam win of Elena Rybakina’s career and her first since Wimbledon 2024.
“I’m happy that I stayed aggressive… happy to get through another round,” Elena Rybakina said after the match.
Match Highlights
Elena Rybakina made the tempo from the start, sparing the only break point she had in the first game with a 175km/h ace. Her game of power soon proved too much for Elise Mertens.
Despite a gallant battle from the Belgian to save four break points in her first service game, Elena Rybakina eventually broke through to take a commanding lead.
The Kazakhistan star raced to a 5-0 lead in less than 30 minutes, and eventually closed out the first set with ease. While Elise Mertens had some rhythm going in the second set, she was unable to throw off Rybakina’s dominance.
A hugely important break at 3-2 gave Elena Rybakina the edge she needed to seal the victory in just one hour and 17 minutes, stretching her head-to-head record against Mertens to 7-1.
Off-Court Connections
While business on the court, Elena Rybakina gave a touching story about her time in Melbourne. She stays close with one local family that she met during the junior event in 2016, and it is special to see their kids grow up over the last decade.
Up Next: Iga Swiatek
Elena Rybakina is now setting up an epic quarterfinal match against the second-seeded tournament player, Iga Swiatek. The two have met 11 times previously, with Iga Swiatek currently leading their rivalry 6-5.
“She is really doing so well moving,” Rybakina said of the forthcoming challenge.
Saurabh is a passionate tennis content writer and lifelong fan of the game. Whether it’s Grand Slam showdowns or under-the-radar rising stars, Saurabh brings the court to life with sharp analysis, breaking news, and deep-dive features. When they aren’t covering matches, you can find them practicing their topspin forehand or debating who is the GOAT over coffee. Do you enjoy tennis? Then you are in the right place.
