"And people compare Elena Rybakina to Iga Swiatek, already a legend" - Fans shocked by Kazakh's "ugly" loss to Leylah Fernandez in Cincinnati Open 2R

Elena Rybakina's campaign at the 2024 Cincinnati Open has ended in a shock upset at the hands of Leylah Fernandez. Fans were baffled by the World No. 4's unexpected loss despite being in a strong winning position.

Following a first-round bye, Rybakina took on the Canadian in her opening match at the WTA 1000 event. After clinching the opening set, the World No. 4 appeared on the verge of victory with two match points at 6-5 in the second set. However, the Kazakh squandered away her opportunity with two critical double faults, allowing Fernandez to make a comeback and claim a 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 victory.

Rybakina struggled to find her rhythm during the contest, as evidenced by her 50 unforced errors. Although the 25-year-old struck 20 aces, she also recorded 17 double faults in her error-prone display.

Tennis fans were appalled at Elena Rybakina's loss, vehemently rejecting any comparisons between her and Iga Swiatek, who they believe has already cemented herself as a legend.

"And people compare Rybakina to Iga who is already a legend...," one fan commented.

"People called her "real no.1" after 2 wins over injured Iga in 2023 and since 2023 Rome she fails everything she touches outside small WTA 500 events," another fan chimed in.

"It’s funny reading all these same excuses every time she loses a match. Ryba stans are probably the most delusional ones on this sub and that’s saying something," said another.

Fans were also perplexed by the World No. 4 "choking" away two match points with double faults, lamenting her "ugly" loss.

"Elena had 2 MPs on her serve but double faulted 2x in a row. 😭 Has she ever lost a match from MPs up?" one fan posted.

"This was an ugly ugly match which is how LAF can win in this matchup. Give LAF credit for grinding but lets be honest ryba was well below her best level. If she was, this is an easy win most likely," another fan wrote.

"Elena Rybakina blows two match points on serve while choking away the second set in typical WTA fashion. Even the “good” players completely suck in the WTA," said another.

Others, meanwhile, speculated about whether Elena Rybakina's recurrent illness issues might have played a role in her defeat.

"I first noticed at Wimbledon that Rybakina has what looks like red blotch marks on her neck and face. They look like allergic reaction marks. I cannot remember seeing in previous years. I wonder if they are part of the illness issues she has been experiencing," one fan speculated.

"Elena Rybakina looks like ghost,both physically (too pale)&mentaly (deprived of any emotional expression) She just goes through the motions 😔 Maybe she should take a break and heal whatever illness/injury she has," another fan chimed in.

"Leylah did a great job. Rybakina just doesn't look good. Like exhausted, running on empty, scared. Is she ok?? ???" said yet another.

"I think it was an ugly match from the both of us" - Leylah Fernandez after beating Elena Rybakina in Cincinnati Open 2R

Leylah Fernandez beats Elena Rybakina at Cincinnati Open (Source: Getty)

Leylah Fernandez herself admitted that she and Elena Rybakina played out an "ugly" match in the second round of the 2024 Cincinnati Open, acknowledging that she was fortunate to edge past the World No. 4.

"I think it was an ugly match from the both of us, it clearly wasn't the best tennis. Clearly our service games weren't going well, too many unforced errors. I was just lucky that today I got the good end of the stick," Fernandez told the media.

"I'm proud of the way I fought. It wasn't the prettiest match, but I accepted it and I just tried to enjoy that moment even though a lot of mistakes were coming," she added.

Following her win over the Kazakh, Fernandez will square off against Diana Shnaider in the third round of the WTA 1000 event. Shnaider claimed a 7-5, 6-0 win over Ashlyn Krueger to book her place against the Canadian.

Elena Rybakina, meanwhile, will be back in action at the US Open, commencing her quest for her second Grand Slam title. Having suffered a shock upset in the third round last year, the World No. 4 will aim for a stronger campaign on her return to the New York Major.