Rybakina keeps 13-year trend alive with Qatar defeat

Rybakina’s attempt to back up her Australian Open title with another win has become something of a trend on the WTA Tour.

She’s now the latest in a line of 12 players who didn’t manage to win their next event after lifting the trophy in Melbourne.

Victoria Azarenka was the last player to break that pattern, winning both the Australian Open and her next tournament, which happened to be the Qatar Open back in 2013.

The list includes names like Madison Keys, Aryna Sabalenka, Ashleigh Barty, Naomi Osaka, Sofia Kenin, Caroline Wozniacki, Serena Williams, Angelique Kerber and Li Na. All won in Melbourne but fell short at their following events.

When you consider some of the dominant players on that list who couldn’t do it either, Rybakina’s loss doesn’t look all that surprising anymore.

Elena Rybakina among elite names despite Qatar Open exit

Despite an early exit from the Qatar Open, Elena Rybakina joined a rare group of players with her latest appearance in the quarter-finals.

The match against Mboko marked her 10th time reaching the last eight in a Middle Eastern tournament, putting her alongside some of the sport’s most consistent performers in the region.

She became just the fourth player to hit that milestone, joining Caroline Wozniacki, Agnieszka Radwanska, and Jelena Jankovic – all former Grand Slam champions or finalists.

While Rybakina didn’t add another title to her name this time around, she continues to show why she’s one of the most reliable players on tour when it comes to deep runs in major events.