Daily Times

MELBOURNE: Anna Blinkova needed 10 match points before finally finishing off an upset over 2023 finalist Elena Rybakina in a record, half-hour tiebreaker to reach the third round of the Australian Open. Blinkova was a break up in all three sets but third-ranked Rybakina rallied each time. The 2022 Wimbledon champion had six match points of her own before eventually running out of chances against her Russian opponent in a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (20) defeat. In terms of points – 42 – it was the longest tiebreaker ever in a women’s Grand Slam event. “It was super tough. I had so many match points,” the No. 57-ranked Blinkova said. “And I tried to be aggressive but my hand was shaking. And my legs, too! “I tried to be calm, as much as I could. Super happy in the end.”