A day after two players had to withdraw from their matches due to injury, another unfortunate situation occurred in Elena Rybakina’s fourth round match at Wimbledon.
The former champion was taking on Anna Kalinskaya in what started as a heavy-hitting encounter before the Russian started to struggle with her right arm which forced her to take medical time out. Play continued for less than 30 minutes before Kalinskaya retired when trailing 3-6, 0-3. Sending Rybakina into the last eight at SW19 for the third year in a row.
“Definitely not the way I wanted to finish the match. She’s a great player and I know she was suffering with a couple of injuries.” Rybakina said on court.
“If it’s the wrist it’s difficult to continue to play and I just wish her a speedy recovery.”
Both players illustrated their heavy-hitting abilities from the onset with Kalinskaya being the first to draw blood as she broke in the opening game. However, the match momentum changed midway through the opener when Rybakina broke before her opponent was forced to take a medical timeout for treatment on her right forearm/wrist. Prompting concerned looks from her camp, which included boyfriend and men’s No.1 Jannik Sinner.
When play resumed a couple of games later, Rybakina held her nerve during a tight service game where she failed to convert a quartet of set points before clinching the 6-3 lead.
Kalinskaya’s problems continued into the second frame after she hit a backhand error followed by a double fault to drop serve once again. It was two games after that she called it quits.
“My serve helps me a lot and especially when the roof is closed. There is no wind, no conditions and it is perfect for my game. I’m really happy the way I played the last two matches. I really enjoyed my time here.” Rybakina said on her form so far.
The Kazakh is the only player remaining in the draw who has previously won Wimbledon, as well as the highest ranked.
“I don’t feel pressure,” she stated. “Every opponent is difficult and I know that I must always bring my best and that’s what I try to do form every match.
“I’m just really enjoying every time I step out on the court and I am happy I am going fine in the draw and hopefully I can go to the end.”
Rybakina has reached 11 quarter-finals during the first seven months of this season. Something that was last achieved by Carla Suarez Navarro in 2015. Excluding today’s match, she has registered 10 wins against top 20 players already in 2024.
The injury-affected match is the third to happen in the past two days. On Sunday Madison Keys retired at 5-5 in the third set against Jasmine Paolini and Grigor Dimitrov had to pull out during the opening set of his clash with Daniil Medvedev.
Rybakina will next play either Elina Svitolina or Wang Xinyu .
