The top-seeded pair of Elena Rybakina and Tommy Paul both made quarter-final exits at the ATP-WTA Adelaide International on Thursday with the Australian Open start three days away.
World No. 3 Rybakina, losing finalist in Melbourne last January to Aryna Sabalenka, looked listless – her mind perhaps on the Grand Slam date – as she was hammered by Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-3 in 90 minutes.
Paul put up more of a fight but went down to 6-1, 6-4 to British hope Jack Draper, a semi-finalist here at the Adelaide 2 tournament in 2023.
Rybakina trailed 4-0 in both sets against No. 21 Alexandrova and at one point lost seven games in a row into the second set.
The Kazakh wln her first game after 24 minutes on court. But the Grand Slam champion put up a fight trailing 5-0 in the second set, with her opponent made to struggle briefly before ending the evening with a down-the-line winner on match point.
“I didn’t have many expectations,” Alexandrova said. “I tried to play every point. My serve was a big help today.
“Serving it out is the most difficult part, it’s very tough and a lot of pressure.”
Alexandrova had 28 winners while Rybakina finished with 25 unforced errors
.Alexandrova now plays sixth seed Jelena Ostapenko, who survived a wobble in the first set but defeated Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk 7-5, 6-3.
In the men’s draw Paul was over-run by the big-hitting Draper, with men’s second seed Nicolas Jarry also going out.
Draper,ranked 62nd, will next take on Alexander Bublik, who beat Italian fourth seed Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-5.
“I knew I had to work hard for the first set,” Draper said after winning it in 27 minutes. “I felt great and came out strong.
“The second set was a bit of a battle. I knew he wanted to get back into the match, but luckily I was able to get it in the end.”
Main photo:- Brit Jack Draper put out No. 1 seed Tommy Paul in Adelaide by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
