WATCH: Chair umpire’s ‘cheeky’ reaction from Anna Blinkova’s record-breaking match against Elena Rybakina at Australian Open goes viral

Another major upset as Anna Blinkova beats Elena Rybakina a thriller second round match.

WATCH: Chair umpire’s ‘cheeky’ reaction from Anna Blinkova’s record-breaking match against Elena Rybakina at Australian Open goes viral

Elena Rybakina, Anna Blinkova and the chair Umpire (Via Imago and X)

The Rod Laver Arena erupted with cheers as Anna Blinkova won an emotional victory against World No. 3 Elena Rybakina. The match would be remembered by all those who witnessed it for its intensity and thrill.

The real thrill of the match started at the super tie-break of the match, where both players were tied for a set each and had to face off in a 10-point tie-break. 

YouTube video

As the match passed its 2-hour mark, the crowd held their fingers crossed while watching their favorite star play for a spot in the third round. The crowd, the commentators, and even the umpire were left stunned as the tiebreak crossed 20 points each. 

FS Video

The camera focused on the chair umpire, who was as flabbergasted as the fans. With a smile on his face, he called out the score, indicating the match to be played further. 

Soon, it was the 25-year-old Russian who sealed the deal and won the match 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (20). This marked her first win against a top-5 player and booked her spot in the third round of the Australian Open.

Another major upset as Anna Blinkova beats Elena Rybakina in a history-breaking tie-break

The second-round matches at the Australian Open are yet to come to an end, and there have already been a few major upsets so far. 

Elena Rybakina
Elena Rybakina (Via Tennisuptodate)

It started with the 16-year-old Russian thrashing Ons Jabeur in straight sets, followed by this match, where another Russian, Anna Blinkova, stood tall against last year’s finalist. Marking her first major victory, Blinkova was rather emotional after the match. The pivotal moment came at the record-breaking 42-point tiebreak, which lasted for almost 30 minutes. 

With this victory, Blinkova revealed that she should stay focused and play solid. Telling herself to keep the ball in at all costs, it all worked out for the Russian, who will surely remember this day for the rest of her life. 

With this loss, Elena Rybakina joins Jessica Pegula out of the tournaments as both strong contenders for the title are off the race.

Leaving the draw wide open, many stars are eyeing the grand prize to start their year with a victory and carry that momentum for the rest of the year.

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