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Elena Rybakina says she will need some “magic” if she is to go deep in Melbourne after struggling with a back problem in her third-round win.
Sixth seed Rybakina, runner-up at Melbourne Park two years ago, beat Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska 6-3 6-4 but needed a medical timeout after just three games.
The 25-year-old Kazakh was visibly struggling to move and needed seven match points to close out victory.
Asked afterwards if her back was OK, Rybakina replied: “Not really. I will see my physio and hopefully he does some magic.
“It’s not so good since it’s [my] lower back. Hopefully we can do everything possible.
“But for now it doesn’t seem too good, to be honest.”
Former Wimbledon champion Rybakina had a number of injury problems in 2024, struggling at various points with fatigue, illness and a back issue.
Rybakina will face either Danielle Collins or Madison Keys, who play later on Saturday, in the fourth round on Monday.
Meanwhile American eighth seed Emma Navarro won her her third successive three-set encounter with a 6-4 3-6 6-4 victory over Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur.
The 23-year-old will next face Russian ninth seed Daria Kasatkina, who beat Kazakh Yulia Putintseva 7-5 6-1.
