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A big forehand earns Rybakina 15-all, then Swiatek nets a forehand and suddenly faces a bit of pressure following three love holds. But a forehand which drops fractionally long, then another which is more so, means it\u2019s soon 40-30, a return then flies beyond the baseline, and at 5-2 Swiatek is a game away from the first set.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Three service winners get Rybakina to 40-15, then a wrong-footing forehand secures the hold for 2-4. She\u2019s playing a bit better now, but can she find anything on the Swiatek serve?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n And barely have I hit save than Swiatek holds to love. After facing a break point in the opening game of the match, she\u2019s all over it and leads 4-1, sticking Rybakina on her bike so she can\u2019t plant feet and thwack.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Rybakina again finds herself behind on serve and, down 15-30, hits a decent forehand. But forced to come in and volley, she\u2019s tentative, dumping into the net, and must now face two further break points. This time, though, she finds the booming deliveries she needs to make deuce, and from there she closes out for 3-1 Swiatek.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Swiatek consolidates easily, sealing the deal with an ace, and you can feel her intensity assaulting you through the screen. She leads 3-0, and Rybakina needs to keep the head while finding some first serves.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n After putting Swiatek under pressure for no immediate gain, I\u2019d not be surprised to see Rybakina broken immediately \u2013 the respective mentality of these two is perhaps the biggest difference between them. And sure enough, Swiatek makes 15-40, Rybakina errs on the forehand, and that\u2019s 2-0.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Rybakina starts well, hitting cleanly and through the ball, backhand winner earning her break point at 30-40; Swiatek, though, responds well, hooking a forehand winner for deuce before closing out for 1-0. Already, you can se the difference in how they move, Swiatek lithe, agile and flexible and Rybaklina a little laboured and flat-footed in comparison.<\/p>\n Elena Rybakina returns to Iga Swiatek. Photograph: Hamad I Mohammed\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.25 EST<\/p>\n \u2026ready, play. <\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Out come our players\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n So how does Rybakina win? Aside from playing well, she might want to target Swiatek\u2019s sometimes-dicky forehand and deny her angle by hitting down the middle.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Rybakina, meanwhile, needs to improve her consistency on the forehand, but also her ability to stay level through matches. She\u2019s more than capable, but I\u2019d back Swiatek to munch her today.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Swiatek is up there with the most relentlessly, murderously focused competitors in all sport, and it\u2019s great to see her back to her best. She\u2019s not unbeatable because there are others with more power and bigger shots, able to hit through her, but her all-round game might be the most complete.<\/p>\n