“Best day of my life!” Anna Blinkova stuns Elena Rybakina in longest tie-breaker ever in Grand Slam history at the Australian Open
Another major upset as Elena Rybakina falls to Anna Blinkova in a thriller of a match.
Elena Rybakina and Anna Blinkova (via Imago)
The Australian Open couldn’t have gotten any better as the second-round matches have gotten as good as any game. It was another thriller of a match that surpassed expectations. Elena Rybakina and Anna Blinkova performed admirably in a history-creating match.
The everlasting match started with a few rallies from both ends. It was the Russian who took an early set into the tournament. However, it did not last long. The last year’s finalist earned back her place in the game by winning the second set. The atmosphere of the stadium got very intense. Everyone remained laser-focused on the ball, and both the players fought until the very end.
It was a battle of emotions as both the players fought for their place at the Australian Open. The Russian Blinkova stayed solid from the get-go and kept Rybakina running for the ball. Eventually, she beat the World No. 3 in a record-breaking tie-breaker.
The Australian crowd cheered on for both the girls as they created history in the tiebreak that lasted for 22 points. This recorded another upset in the Australian Open 2024. Thereby, eliminating a favorite from the tournament leaves the draw more open than before.
In the on-court interview, an emotional Blinkova said that she’ll remember this day for the rest of her life. She also termed this day as the best in her life so far.
This day I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Especially on this court with this crowd. I’ll never forget it. It’s the best day of my life so farBlinkova said in the on-court interview
Elena Rybakina and Anna Blinkova put on a stellar show to create history in the second-round match
In one of the most insane and incredible matches that went to the super-tie break, Anna Blinkova stood tall as she recorded the biggest victory of her career.
The super-tie breaker was the moment of the night. Both the players sweated it out for more than half an hour, recording the longest tie-break ever. With this, they surpassed Akgul Amanmuradova and Anna Zaja, who had a 22-20 tie breaker in their match. In a moment of all joy, the Rod Laver Arena cheered on both women for putting up a stellar show towards the end of the day.
The tension surged up with every passing shot, and soon the crowd erupted as Blinkova hit the last shot to seal her victory and spot in the third round of the tournament. With the competition more open than ever, all the women target the final prize as the third round of the tournament will start soon. After a couple of major upsets, the tournament promises more action from the rest of the players who all hope to start their year with a bang.
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Laxman Naren
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