MELBOURNE, Australia — Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina will clash in the semifinals at the Australian Open.
Moscow-born Kazakh Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, stunned second seed Iga Swiatek, 7-5, 6-1, in Melbourne to book her spot in the last four.
Pegula swept aside an error-strewn Amanda Anisimova, 6-2, 7-6 (1), in an all-American quarterfinal.
Rybakina has made the Melbourne final once before, in 2023, when she lost in three tough sets to Aryna Sabalenka.
The 26-year-old fifth seed took her latest victory in her stride, saying a calmer mindset helped in the heat of battle.
“In the beginning, when it’s the first final and you go so far in a tournament, of course, you are more emotional,” said Rybakina.
“Now I feel like I’m just doing my job, trying to improve each day. So it’s kind of another day, another match.”
Defeat denied Swiatek in her latest bid for a career Grand Slam of all four majors, having already won Wimbledon, the French Open and the US Open.
Sixth seed Pegula and Rybakina have shared three wins each in their six matches so far.
Pegula is yet to drop a set this year in Melbourne and is arrowing in on her first major crown at the age of 31.
“It’s awesome,” Pegula said of reaching her first Australian semifinal, having beaten defending champion Madison Keys in the previous round.
She was helped by an error-riddled display from fourth seed Anisimova, who racked up 44 unforced errors to Pegula’s 21.
Her frustrations boiled over at the end as her hopes of reaching a third major title in a row melted away in a blur of mistakes.
Two-time champion Sabalenka faces Ukrainian 12th seed Elina Svitolina in the other semifinal.
Swiatek and Rybakina had met 11 times before, including five last season, with the Pole holding a narrow 6-5 edge.
But Rybakina won the last encounter at the WTA Finals in Riyadh.
Swiatek forged a break on Rybakina’s opening serve, with the Kazakh getting only one of her first serves in, but she struck back immediately to keep the match level.
Rybakina’s serve was misfiring, and the Pole worked another three break points in the next game, but all were saved as the fifth seed hung on.
The Kazakh made some adjustments, and her serve finally started to hit the mark.
There was little to split them until Swiatek served to stay in the set at 5-6 with Rybakina going for her shots and converting on the second set-point opportunity.
The writing was on the wall for Swiatek with Rybakina winning her last 21 matches after taking the first set, and she pounced early with a sizzling forehand return earning a break to love.
She consolidated for 3-0 and when two straight aces made it 4-1 there was no way back for the Pole.