Another giant falls: Rybakina out of Wimbledon

The shocks in the Wimbledon women's draw came thick and fast on Saturday. While Iga Swiatek was falling on Centre Court, 25th seed Elise Mertens was busy on Court One dismantling world number two and 2022 champion Elena Rybakina 7-6(4), 6-1. The Belgian booked her place in the last 16 after a match lasting one hour and 38 minutes.

The opening set was a tight, tense affair. With both players under pressure on serve, the set drifted into a tie-break, where the cooler head belonged to Mertens, who took it 7-4. Losing that set broke the Kazakh star's resistance: Mertens seized total control of the second, conceding just a single game to wrap up the match in short order. Against an opponent renowned for her huge serve, the Belgian also stood out for the precision of her ball-striking.

For Rybakina, who arrived as the second seed and lifted the title on these courts four years ago, the result ranks among the heaviest blows of her season. Speaking afterwards, the Kazakh summed up her disappointment bluntly, admitting that it is impossible to win everything, and credited her opponent's performance.

Mertens, long admired for her consistency and a Grand Slam champion in doubles, has now taken her Wimbledon campaign to a new level. With Swiatek and Rybakina departing on the same day, the women's draw has blown wide open before the second week, and the experienced Belgian will fancy her chances against whoever emerges from her section of the draw in the last 16.

Match Stats
Score: 7-6(7-4), 6-1 · Duration: 1 hour 38 minutes
Winners: Mertens 13 – Rybakina 8
Breaks: Mertens 4/10 – Rybakina 2/10

Image: Punto de Break