July 10, (THEWILL) – Elena Rybakina advanced to the Wimbledon semi-finals with a swift victory over Elina Svitolina on Centre Court. The fourth-seeded Kazakh player defeated her Ukrainian opponent 6-3 6-2 in just 61 minutes. This win keeps Rybakina on track to claim her second Wimbledon title in three years.
The match took place under clear skies, a rare sight at this year’s championships. Spectators, who paid £200 for their tickets, witnessed only one hour of singles action due to Alex de Minaur’s withdrawal from his quarter-final against Novak Djokovic. Despite the short duration, Rybakina expressed gratitude to the crowd for their support.
Rybakina’s performance was dominant from the outset. After dropping her opening service game, she won five games in a row from 3-3 in the first set. The Kazakh player’s powerful serve was a key factor, as she fired seven aces during the match. Her final ace sealed the victory.
The win sets up a semi-final clash for Rybakina against 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova. Rybakina, now the highest seed left in the women’s draw, maintains a perfect 2-0 record against Svitolina on grass. Queen Camilla was among the spectators watching the match.
Svitolina, who had an impressive run to the semi-finals last year, could not replicate that success this time. Rybakina’s performance was so commanding that the crowd struggled to engage with either player or rally behind the underdog Svitolina. The Russian-born Kazakh is now the only women’s champion remaining in the tournament.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
