Rybakina defeats American teen Jovic to advance to Australian Open third round

Elena Rybakina (25) eliminated another young competitor from the Australian Open on Thursday, as the sixth seed recovered from a brief dip in the second set to defeat American wildcard Iva Jovic (17) with a score of 6-0, 6-3, advancing to the third round.

Jovic, the youngest participant in the second round, appeared to struggle significantly in the first set against the former Wimbledon champion, who is ranked 184 places higher in the WTA standings and possesses a notable height advantage.

"She's still very young," Rybakina remarked.

"She already plays quite well, so I look forward to facing her again in the future," she added.

Rybakina, who had previously eliminated 16-year-old Australian wildcard and junior world number one Emerson Jones in the opening round, dominated the first set in a mere 27 minutes, delivering 18 winners that left Jovic at a disadvantage.

However, with nothing to lose, the teenager raised her performance in the second set, managing to break Rybakina's serve after an extended second game that reached deuce nine times, which boosted her confidence to take more risks.

Jovic surged to a 3-1 lead, eliciting cheers from the crowd at John Cain Arena in support of the underdog. Nevertheless, Rybakina regained her composure and swiftly took control by winning the next five games.

She clinched her 50th Grand Slam match victory on her second match point when Jovic's service return sailed long.

"I started off very well, and I think she needed some time to adjust to the pace," Rybakina, a finalist at Melbourne Park in 2023, noted. "I did encounter some difficulties in the second set, but I am pleased to progress to the next round."

Having navigated the first two rounds with relative ease, Rybakina's most significant challenge awaits in the third round, where she will face Ukrainian 32nd seed Dayana Yastremska, who reached the semi-finals last year as a qualifier.

SportsLigue