Elena Rybakina is looking very much like a title contender at SW19. The 2022 champion mowed down former Grand Slam champion Caroline Wozniacki 6-0, 6-1 on Saturday at the All England Club to book her spot in the second week once again.
Make that 17-2 lifetime on the Wimbledon grass, a place where Rybakina first emerged on the scene as an elite talent, and one where she might prevail again.
On a day where top-seeded Iga Swiatek and two-time runner-up Ons Jabeur were bounced from the top half of the women’s singles draw, Rybakina held serve with authority. She needed 57 minutes to dismantle the Dane, cracking 36 winners against just four from her 33-year-old opponent.
Rybakina, ranked No 4, will face No 17 seed Anna Kalinskaya next.
Ahead of her victory, the Kazakh beat Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse (6-3, 6-1) and German Laura Siegemund (6-3, 3-6, 6-3).
Wozniacki, ranked No 91, won against American qualifier Alycia Parks (6-2, 6-0) and edged out Canadian Leylah Fernandez, the No 30 seed (6-3, 2-6, 7-5) earlier in the tournament.
Londres (Grand Slam), other third-round results (All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, grass, GBP 50.000.000, most recent results first):