Powerful Elena Rybakina crushes local teenager Emerson Jones, eases into second round at Australian Open

Elena Rybakina encountered no difficulties against Australian prospect Emerson Jones (No. 293), securing a dominant 6-1, 6-1 victory to advance past the Australian Open debut round. The 2023 finalist reached the second round of the year’s first major for the sixth consecutive year, delivering an impressive performance in Goran Ivanisevic's debut as her coach.

The young Australian struggled to match Rybakina’s pace in rallies and was quickly overwhelmed by the Kazakh’s power. In the opening set, Rybakina fired six aces and secured two breaks, winning 71% of points on serve and 58% on return. The 2022 Wimbledon champion went on a five-game streak to close the set 6-1 in just 28 minutes.

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In the second set, Jones showed greater confidence and won her first service game, even creating three break opportunities. However, Rybakina fended off the 0-40 threat with four consecutive aces. From there, Jones struggled to remain competitive against the World No. 7. The 16-year-old displayed flashes of promise during a few extended rallies but couldn’t challenge Rybakina’s effectiveness.

Rybakina secured three consecutive breaks, exploiting Jones' vulnerability on her second serve. The Kazakh powerhouse maintained her intensity and sealed the win at 6-1, 6-1, finishing with 11 aces and 26 winners. In the second round, she will face another teenager—17-year-old wildcard Iva Jovic, currently ranked World No. 191.

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