Wimbledon 2024: Rybakina dispatches Svitolina to set up Krejcikova semi-final

Add as a preferred source on Google

Elena Rybakina will go up against Barbora Krejcikova in the last four at Wimbledon after a convincing defeat of Elina Svitolina.

Rybakina was broken in the first game of Wednesday's quarter-final, but responded emphatically to overcome her Ukrainian opponent 6-3 6-2.

The world number four, the highest-ranked player left in the women's draw, needed just 61 minutes to complete an emphatic win.

Rybakina is now the player to have reached the joint-most WTA-level semi-finals this season, with seven, which matches Iga Swiatek's total.

Speaking after her victory, Rybakina is wary of being labelled the favourite.

She said: "Of course I have such amazing memories from 2022 and I'm just enjoying every time I step on the court, especially when I play well. It's just really amazing.

"I don't like [to be the favourite] to be honest.

"Of course, I want to go to the end, but [I'm taking it] match by match and I'm happy with the way I'm going and looking forward to the next one."

Her next match will come against 2021 French Open champion Krejcikova, who sent world number 14 Jelena Ostapenko packing.

Krejcikova triumphed 6-4 7-6 (7-4), coming out on top in a thrilling second-set tie-break, to reach the semi-finals at Wimbledon for the first time in her career.

"It's an unbelievable moment that I'm experiencing right now in my tennis career," said the Czech, who won only three Tour-level matches between February and June.

Data Debrief: Home away from home

Only Monica Seles (Australian Open 21/21 and French Open 20/21), Margaret Court (US Open 20/21, French Open 20/21 and Australian Open 20/21) and Chris Evert (RG 20/21) have won more from their first 21 matches at a single major than Rybakina at Wimbledon (19/21) during the Open Era.

Krejcikova, meanwhile, has become the player with the most singles grand slam main draw appearances between their first two major semi-finals (13) since Sloane Stephens (16 between the 2013 Australian Open and the US Open in 2017).