Elena Rybakina back in Wimbledon quarter-finals after Anna Kalinskaya withdraws

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Former champion Elena Rybakina halted the run of big-name exits in the women’s draw by advancing to the quarter-finals when opponent Anna Kalinskaya withdrew mid-match.

The fourth seed is the highest-ranked player left in the draw and the only woman to have previously made a Wimbledon final after her victory over Ons Jabeur two years ago.

Russian Kalinskaya, who was again watched by boyfriend and men’s world number one Jannik Sinner, made a great start under the roof on Centre Court but took a medical time-out for treatment to her right arm after seven games and shook hands trailing 6-3 3-0.

Rybakina said: “Definitely not the way I wanted to finish the match. Anna is a great player and I know she was suffering with a couple of injuries. I wish her a speedy recovery.

“i don’t feel pressure. Every opponent is difficult and I know that I always need to bring my best. I’m really happy I’m going far in the draw.”

Kalinskaya missed last year’s Wimbledon through injury and was ranked outside the top 100 in October, but she has had a stellar year, reaching two WTA Tour finals and the last eight at the Australian Open to climb into the top 20.

The 25-year-old set out her stall immediately, winning a long first point and breaking the fearsome Rybakina serve in the opening game.

But things turned in the sixth game, with Rybakina breaking serve and going on to win 15 points in a row, during which Kalinskaya took a medical time-out for treatment to her right arm, shoulder and neck.

She mounted some resistance as Rybakina served for the set, saving four set points, but the Kazakh took the fifth with a backhand arrowed down the line.

While Rybakina has not yet challenged for a grand slam title this season, she has been superbly consistent, losing before the quarter-finals in only two tournaments.

She continued to dominate proceedings in the second set, extending her winning run of games to eight against an increasingly forlorn looking Kalinskaya, who then decided to call it a day.

Rybakina will face Elina Svitolina, who broke down in tears on court after reaching the quarter-finals on the same day a Russian missile struck a children’s hospital in Kyiv.

The Ukrainian wore a black ribbon on her top during her 6-2 6-1 victory over Wang Xinyu.

Jelena Ostapenko is through to the last eight for the first time since she reached the semi-finals in 2018.

Record books were being dusted off as the Latvian, who won the girls’ title 10 years ago, went 5-0 up against Yulia Putintseva in just 14 minutes.

Kazakhstan’s Putintseva managed to make the scoreline respectable but still fell to a 6-2 6-3 defeat.

Ostapenko, looking for a second grand slam title to add to her surprise 2017 French Open success, will face 2021 Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova.

The Czech, seeded 31, beat American 11th seed Danielle Collins 7-5 6-3.