Elena Rybakina did well to overcome a really inspired effort from Danielle Collins at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Open, but can she keep it going against Cristina Bucsa?
Logic would tell you that she can, but let's zoom out and look at it closely. Rybakina made her start as a seeded player in the second round by taking on Danielle Collins.
It was a complicated matchup as the American pushed her around at the start, giving her plenty of trouble. Over time, Rybakina was able to impose herself from the baseline, and the match flipped.
It was a pretty good comeback for the Kazakstahni player, who gets an easier opponent in the next round. That's on paper, at least, but Bucsa actually likes to play similarly to how Collins plays, though she's quite a bit less effective.
Head-to-head:
Funny as it is, they have actually played only one so far, and it happened weeks ago in Adelaide. The Kazakhstani player proved better in that one, though it wasn't a devastating win as the score was only 6-3 7-5. That sort of tells you how this might go.
A couple of things benefit Rybakina in court as it will give her more time to unload. If she finds her rhythm early and plays really well, I can see this one beginning far easier than the one in Adelaide.
A lot will depend on how well Bucsa strikes the ball, but I don't think she can overwhelm Rybakina, no matter how well she plays.
| Elena Rybakina | Cristina Bucsa | |
| 1 | H2H | 0 |
| 5 | Rank | 74 |
| 24 | Age | 26 |
| 7-2 | 2024 W/L | 5-2 |
| 296-134 | Career W/L | 310-202 |
Prediction:
So basically, as you can imagine, I completely favour Rybakina here. She's more consistent than her opponent; she has a stronger game from the baseline and a better serve. She should also be quite buzzing after that great comeback win, Collins.
Prediction: Elena Rybakina to win in two sets.
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