There were further losses among the Australian Open 2024 favorites on Thursday as Olena Rybakina (3) and Jessica Pegula (5) were beaten in the second round by players outside the WTA top 50.

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Olena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula were eliminated from the Australian Open 2024 on Thursday

Last year’s finalist in Melbourne, Olena Rybakina, suffered a dramatic loss to Anna Blinkova (57 WTA) after the longest tie-break (for women) in Grand Slam history. 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (22-20) in favor of the athlete from Russia.

The 5th favorite of the major tournament from Antipozis, Jessica Pegula, flatly lost to France’s Clara Burrell (51 WTA), score 6-4, 6-2.

Also removed were: Daria Kasatkina (14), Danielle Collins (2022 finalist) and Emma Reducanu (US Open 2021 champion).

I go further: Iga Svyatek (1), Yelena Ostapenko (11), Qinwen Zheng (12), Victoria Azarenka (18), Elina Svitolina (19), Jasmine Paolini (26) and Emma Navarro (27).

Australian Open 2024 – Women’s Draw – Results for Thursday 18 January

​Anna Kalinska – Arantxa Rus 6-1, 7-5

Linda Noskova – McCartney Kessler 6-3, 1-6, 6-4

Iga Sviatek (1) – Daniel Collins 6-4, 3-6, 6-4

Okean Dodin – Martina Trevisan 6-4, 6-4

Jasmine Paolini (26) – Tatiana Maria 6-2, 6-3

Clara Burel – Jessica Pegula (5) 6-4, 6-2

Sloane Stevens – Daria Kasatkina (14) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3

Qinwen Zheng (12) – Katie Boulter 6-3, 6-3

Emma Navarro (27) – Elisabetta Cocciaretto 4-6, 6-3, 6-3

Elina Svitolina (19) – Victoria Tomova 6-1, 6-3

Yafan Wang – Emma Raducanu 6-4, 4-6, 6-4

Victoria Golubich – Kateryna Sinyakova 6-3, 2-6, 6-4

Anna Blinkova – Olena Rybakina (3) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(20)

Dayana Yastremska – Varvara Grachova 6-3, 6-2

Yelena Ostapenko (11) – Ayla Tomlyanovich 6-0, 3-6, 6-4

Victoria Azarenka (18) – Klara Toson 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

• Only five players from the WTA Top 10 reached the third round of the 2024 Australian Open: Iga Sviatek (1), Aryna Sabalenka (2), Coco Gauff (4), Barbora Krejcikova (9) and Beatrice Haddad Maia (10).

• Already left the competition: Olena Rybakina (3), Jessica Pegula (5), Ons Jaber (6), Marketa Vondrousova (7) and Maria Sakkari (8).

Australian Open 2024 – Women’s Draw – Round III

Svietek (1) – Noskova

Svitolina (19) – Golubich

Ostapenko (11) – Azarenka (18)

Navarro (27) – Yastremska

Blinkova – Paolini (26)

Kalinska – Stevens

Zheng (12) – Wang

Dodin – Burel

Avanesyan – Kostyuk

Timofeeva – Haddad Maya (10)

Fresh – Zakharova

Parks – Hauf (4)

Andreeva – Parry

Hunter – Krejcikova (9)

Anisimova – Badosa

Tsurenko (28) – Sabalenko (2).

Australian Open 2024 will be held from January 14 to 28. The reigning champions are Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenko.

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