Australian Open 2025: Rybakina, Jabeur win in straight sets to reach third round
Elena Rybakina sent another teenager packing from the Australian Open on Thursday after the sixth seed beat American wildcard Iva Jovic 6-0 6-3 to move into the third round.
Aged just 17, Jovic was the youngest player in the second round of the women’s draw but looked well out of her depth in the opening set against the former Wimbledon champion, who is 184 rungs above her in the WTA rankings.
Rybakina, who had dispatched 16-year-old Australian wildcard and junior world number one Emerson Jones in the first round, raced through the first set in just 27 minutes, firing 18 winners past the overwhelmed Jovic.
But with nothing to lose, the teen elevated her game in the second set to finally get on the board when she broke Rybakina after a marathon second game that went to deuce nine times, giving the American confidence to play her shots.
Jovic went 3-1 up as the crowd at John Cain Arena roared for the underdog, but Rybakina composed herself and quickly restored order by winning the next five games, sealing victory on her second match point when a service return went long.
Rybakina, a 2023 finalist at Melbourne Park, will play Ukrainian 32nd seed Dayana Yastremska in the next round.
Teary Jabeur overcomes breathing issues for win
Ons Jabeur was in tears after experiencing breathing problems three games into her Australian Open match against Camila Osorio but the Tunisian braved it out to book her spot in the third round.
The former world number two has slipped to 39th amid fitness issues and was forced out of several tournaments last year including the U.S. Open with shoulder trouble and the Paris Olympics due to concerns over her knee.
Jabeur ended her season in September and only returned to action at the start of 2025. She said the long spell away had left her vulnerable to asthma-related problems.
“When I was younger, I was diagnosed with asthma, so having taken off a lot didn’t help. I think it provoked it even more,” she told reporters after her 7-5 6-3 win over the Colombian.
A routine win had seemed improbable when the three-times Grand Slam runner-up slumped to her chair, coughing as she tapped her chest, after going 2-1 up in the opening set.
Jabeur wiped away tears before leaving the court for medical attention, later returning to win despite not being at her best for the remainder of the contest.
Jabeur, a quarter-finalist at the 2020 Australian Open, meets American eighth seed Emma Navarro in the next round.