Without losing a set until the semifinals at the Australian Open, Elena Rybakina also demolished Iga Swiatek: “I'm very calm”

Rybakina will face the American Jessica Pegula, and the Wimbledon champion is very confident in her own strength. Here are the most interesting statements from Rybakina, who did not drop a set until the semifinals, according to puntodebreak.com.

“The most difficult thing in recent years, I would say, was staying consistent throughout the two weeks of competition”

“I'm very happy for the win, happy to win in straight sets. I had some difficulties with my serve in the first set, but overall I'm happy to win in straight sets. I felt like the start was a bit slow from both of us, I think the first serve percentage wasn't high for either of us. Maybe because I worked out in the gym yesterday, although I did it because it was too hot so I had to adjust. Then in the second set I tried to get into shots from a different position and vary my execution more, so I'm glad it worked.”

“The most difficult thing in recent years, I would say, has been to stay consistent during the two weeks of competition. There are always challenges, days when you can play indoors or outside, in the sun or in a night match. All the conditions are complicated, so it depends on how quickly you can adapt. Now I'm calmer as I progress in the tournament. At the beginning, you see the final as a distant possibility and you experience everything much more emotionally. Today I feel like I'm just doing my job, trying to improve myself every day.”

“I don't remember exactly how I started the tournament in 2023. I would say, judging by the scores, it was a lot harder rounds for me, but I feel like I didn't start the matches that well this time, I mean the feel of the shots and all that stuff. However, I managed to win in straight sets. Physically, I feel good, but it's hard to compare to the version of me three years ago. What is certain is that we played better with each passing game.”

Iga Swiatek was no match for Elena Rybakina // photo: Guliver/gettyimages

“For me it's always better, of course, it's good news that the coaches are close, so you can hear them better. It's good to get advice, especially when something isn't working, so I think it was a good decision to bring the coaches a little closer to the pitch. In the end, I think it's better to get some information than none, at least for me.”

“Jessica Pegula is a very experienced opponent who moves very well and her ball always sits very low. This makes playing against her very difficult at times, but I will try to adapt. We will see who will win. I will talk to my team to set the plan and try to give my best.”

Last season, in the last tournaments I participated in, I gained confidence after some difficult matches. Of course, that's something I'll try to carry over into this season as well throughout the year. I still have a lot of things to improve, things I need to work on, but the most important thing is that I try to stay aggressive whenever I have the opportunity to intervene, take a little risk. Even today, I had some shots that were very close to the line, so I'm happy to play my style, the most important part of my game is being aggressive.
– Elena Rybakina