Mertens Strikes First with Composed Opening Set
Under the late-night lights of Cincinnati, Elise Mertens and Elena Rybakina fought out a gripping battle that stretched past midnight. The lower tiers of Center Court were buzzing, as both players hunted a coveted spot in the Round of 16 — and a showdown with Madison Keys.
World No. 21 Mertens made the sharper start, absorbing Rybakina’s trademark power and finding her spots on serve. Rybakina, meanwhile, was navigating the return of her long-time coach Stefano Vukov to her player box, overshadowing the presence of Davide Sanguinetti. The Belgian pounced early, breaking for 3-1, and although Rybakina briefly leveled at 3-3, Mertens broke again and never looked back. With aggressive baseline hitting and confident point construction, Mertens sealed the first set 6-4 in style — a rare opening-set loss for the Wimbledon 2022 champion.
Rybakina Rebounds Behind Vukov’s Fiery Guidance
Dripping with sweat, Rybakina left the court at the set break and returned transformed. The Kazakh No. 1 lifted her first-serve percentage, flattened out her groundstrokes, and took control as Mertens’ level dipped. Racing to a 3-0 lead, she dictated rallies and punished short balls, closing the set 6-3 to level the match.
On the sidelines, Vukov’s presence was anything but passive. His animated, point-by-point coaching echoed across the court, contrasting with the quieter, big-picture guidance from Christopher Heyman in Mertens’ corner. The dynamic seemed to fuel Rybakina’s surge.
Decider Turns into Tactical Chess Match
The third set was a high-tension tug-of-war. Mertens, regrouped and firing again, held a 3-2 lead with 3 break points that could have swung the match her way. But Rybakina fended them off with laser-precise groundstrokes, avoiding a dangerous 4-2 deficit.
From 3-3 to 5-5, neither gave an inch — until Mertens suddenly faltered, surrendering her serve at love. This time, unlike in her Montreal stumble against Victoria Mboko, Rybakina held her nerve and served it out, sealing a gritty comeback victory.
Whether this marks a full return to peak form for Rybakina remains to be seen. What is certain: Vukov is back, and his relentless courtside energy remains central to her game plan. While his style may divide opinion among WTA fans, the results — and the connection between player and coach — spoke for themselves in Cincinnati.
Rybakina vs Mertens – Match Stats (2h 14m)
| Statistic | Rybakina | Mertens |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.15 | 0.87 |
| Serve Rating | 276 | 267 |
| Aces | 11 | 11 |
| Double Faults | 10 | 2 |
| 1st Serve % | 57% (56/99) | 58% (50/86) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 86% (48/56) | 76% (38/50) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 44% (19/43) | 44% (16/36) |
| Break Points Saved | 67% (4/6) | 63% (5/8) |
| Service Games | 88% (14/16) | 80% (12/15) |
| Ace % | 11.1% | 12.8% |
| Double Fault % | 10.1% | 2.3% |
| Return Rating | 138 | 116 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 24% (12/50) | 14% (8/56) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 56% (20/36) | 56% (24/43) |
| Break Points Won | 38% (3/8) | 33% (2/6) |
| Return Games | 20% (3/15) | 13% (2/16) |
| Pressure Points | 50% (7/14) | 50% (7/14) |
| Service Points | 68% (67/99) | 63% (54/86) |
| Return Points | 37% (32/86) | 32% (32/99) |
| Total Points | 54% (99/185) | 46% (86/185) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 7 | 4 |
| Total Games Won | 55% (17/31) | 45% (14/31) |
| Max Games In A Row | 3 | 3 |
| Match Duration | 2h 14m | |