Elena Rybakina is shy. She's nice, she's polite. She unexpectedly has the serve of someone dropping a bowling ball from the roof of a building. In the final last year, when she bested a devastated Jabeur in three sets to win her maiden grand slam title, she celebrated akin to someone who had just claimed £10 from a scratchcard. In a way it was refreshing, now that players will lie starfish on their back at winning low-tier Challenger events.
After her win in the previous round, Jabeur said jokingly-seriously that she was looking forward to taking revenge on Rybakina. She tried hard to do so. And she did, winning in three riveting sets.
The two held their opening service games easily, but then it immediately got interesting. With a brain fritz Jabeur went 3-1 down when she gifted Rybakina three break points with a wild forehand long and two shots into the tramlines. But just as quickly Jabeur fired back, earning triple break chances after a sublime three-shot, drop shot rally. A bullet of a return winner put them back on serve.
This story is from the July 13, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the July 13, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
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