Elena Rybakina looked like she may be poised for a deep US Open run, but those hopes came to an end in the round-of-16 after Marketa Vondrousova upset the ninth-seeded Kazakh 6-4 5-7 6-2.
After delivering one of her best performances of the year and thrashing Emma Raducanu 6-1 6-2, Rybakina lost her serve early against Vondrousova. While the 2022 Wimbledon champion managed to get the break back, she dropped her serve again in the ninth game and lost the opener.
In the second set, the Kazakh blew an early break and a set point in the 10th game, but ultimately managed to force a decider after breaking the Czech in the 12th game.
After Rybakina earned a very tight second set, one would think that all the momentum would be on her side. But it was the complete opposite as Vondrousova registered breaks in the third and seventh games to easily take the third set and set up a quarterfinal against Aryna Sabalenka.
Rybakina's disappointing Grand Slam year comes to an end
At the Australian Open, Rybakina made the round-of-16 stage before falling short to eventual champion Madison Keys. In Paris, the Kazakh also reached the last-16 stage before losing to Iga Swiatek. At Wimbledon, the 26-year-old disappointingly exited the event in the third round.
The US Open was Rybakina's last chance to make some noise at the Slam level this year, and it didn't happen.
“After everything I’ve been through, it’s amazing to be standing here again. It’s been an amazing week so far and I’m just incredibly happy to be here. I have a great team here and great people around me and we are having so much fun off the court as well," Vondrousiva said after beating the Kazakh.
It is worth mentioning that Rybakina had a very strong preparation for the US Open since she was a semifinalist in Washington, Montreal and Cincinnati.
