Rybakina Advances Despite Back Injury

Elena Rybakina, former Australian Open finalist, advanced to the fourth round of the 2025 Australian Open despite battling a back injury during her match against Dayana Yastremska. Rybakina, the sixth seed and 2022 Wimbledon champion, won in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 but required a medical timeout early in the match due to a sudden back spasm. She admitted the injury affected her movement, forcing her to shorten rallies and rely on more aggressive shots, capitalizing on 37 unforced errors from her opponent. Rybakina, who has faced various injury challenges in the past year, expressed hope that her physio could work 'magic' to prepare her for the next match against either Madison Keys or Danielle Collins. Despite the back issue, she was pleased with her performance but acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining her serve and rally endurance. Rybakina's progress marks her 51st Grand Slam win, positioning her fifth behind top players like Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka.