Tomljanovic's Wimbledon journey is OVER after defeat by Rybakina

Ajla Tomljanovic’s Wimbledon journey is OVER after Russia-born Elena Rybakina pulls off stunning comeback to book her place in the semi final

  • Ajla Tomljanovic’s Wimbledon journey is over after she lost in the quarter finals 
  • Russia-born Elena Rybakina pulled off a stunning comeback to win in SW19 
  • Unseeded Tomljanovic had no answer for the 23-year-old’s booming serve 

Here is an awkward one for the All England Club. A player born and raised in Russia is just two wins away from lifting the Wimbledon women’s singles title.

Of course, there is nothing organisers could have done to prevent Elena Rybakina from appearing at SW19 given she now represents Kazakhstan.

But it still a far from ideal scenario for a tournament which went out on a limb to ban players from Russia and Belarus, for fears their success could be used to boost Vladimir Putin’s ‘propaganda machine’. Indeed, state broadcaster Russia Today have wasted no time in hailing Rybakina as one of their own.

Ajla Tomljanovic’s Wimbledon journey is over after she lost her quarter final match in London

 The 29-year-old made a fast start and took the first set over Elena Rybakina on Wednesday

However, the 23-year-old pulled off a stunning comeback to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in SW19

The Moscow-born 23-year-old only moved federations four years ago after Kazakhstan – not for the first time – offered her a financial sweetener to switch.

As it is, Rybakina is the first male or female player from her adopted country to reach the semi-final of a Grand Slam.

She will play 2019 champion Simona Halep in Thursday’s semi-final. And while she will be the underdog, the way the women’s draw has been going, only a fool would count her out.

Rybakina had to do it the hard way in her quarter-final against unseeded Australian Ajla Tomljanovic on Court 1 after losing the first set.

Rybakina has become the first Kazakhstani tennis player to reach a grand slam semi final

But that appeared to flick a switch in the world No23, who dominated the next two sets and secured a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory with an ace.

‘It is amazing and I am really happy that I got to the semi-final,’ said Rybakina. ‘I started slow and didn’t serve that well. Maybe I was nervous. But I found my way in the end.

‘I want to say thanks to the people who came and supported us, it was a great atmosphere.

‘I have played Simona a few times and they have been tough battles. I will try to do my best.’




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