MELBOURNE: The Elena Rybakina-Victoria Azarenka Australian Open semifinal was a tussle of serve and return, skill and spirit, energy and experience. A clash of contradictory strengths. The lanky Kazakh knew she would have to keep it within the lines and let her tennis call the shots.
Azarenka, the two-time champion, on the other hand needed to propel the match into a different sphere. She was looking for the donnybrook gear but didn't quite nail it on a chilly, windswept evening.
