Elena Rybakina’s shocking loss in the third round of the 2023 US Open has left tennis fans perplexed, particularly with respect to her subpar serving performance.
On Friday, September 1, Sorana Cirstea pulled off a stunning upset over the World No. 4. The Romanian claimed a 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4 victory in two hours and 48 minutes to advance to the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the first time in her career.
Although Rybakina staged a valiant comeback in the second set, she appeared far from her best over the course of the match. The Kazakh committed a total of 56 unforced errors, including four doubles faults, one of which came on match point. She also registered a low break point conversion rate, capitalizing on only four of her 13 chances to break.
Several fans expressed their disappointment with Elena Rybakina‘s performance, particularly taking issue with her uncharacteristic struggles on serve.
Despite leading the tour in aces for the 2023 season, the Kazakh only managed three aces against Cirstea. Additionally, the 2022 Wimbledon champion’s win rates on her first and second serves stood at 55% and 57% respectively.
“Whoever messed with Elena’s serve and changed it should be fired immediately,” a fan commented.