The fifth-seeded Kazakh, born in Moscow, overturned an early break to take a tight opening set before dominating the second to seal her fourth career Grand Slam semi-final and her first since Wimbledon 2024. Rybakina has now won 21 straight matches after claiming the first set.
Swiatek, the second seed, broke serve in the opening game but was unable to maintain pressure as Rybakina adjusted her serve and saved three further break points.
The Pole was broken to love early in the second set and could not recover, denying her a chance to complete a career Grand Slam.
“Really pleased with the win,” said the 26-year-old. “We know each other pretty well and I was just trying to stay aggressive.
“I feel like in the first set for both of us, the first serve was not really working, so just trying to step in on the second serve, put pressure on each other.
“I think in the second set I just started to play more freely and served better.”
Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, will face Jessica Pegula next, with a place in Saturday’s final at stake.
In the other quarter-final played on Wednesday, Pegula advanced to the Australian Open semi-finals on Wednesday after defeating fellow American Amanda Anisimova in an all-American quarter-final.
Pegula overcame the fourth seed 6-2, 7-6 (1) in one hour and 35 minutes to reach the last four in Melbourne for the first time in her career.
The victory marked Pegula’s third career Grand Slam semi-final and her first at a major outside the US Open, underlining her growing consistency on the biggest stage. She will next face Rybakina for a place in the final.
“It’s awesome,” Pegula said in her on-court interview.
“I’ve been able to go deeper at the US Open the last couple years, but here was the first Slam that I really broke through at. And I was a three, and then this year, four-time quarterfinalist.
“I was like, ‘It’s got to be coming, you know. The next round, I’ve got to get to the semi.’ Because I feel like I play some really good tennis here and I like the conditions.
“And I’ve always felt like, even matches I’ve lost here, that I’ve played well. So I’ve been waiting for the time where I could kind of break through.”
Pegula also extended a remarkable streak, recording her eighth consecutive win over an American opponent at a Grand Slam.
At this year’s Australian Open, she has beaten McCartney Kessler in the second round, defending champion Madison Keys in the fourth round, and Anisimova in the quarter-finals.
