Elena Rybakina is playing really well at the 2024 Roland Garros, but will she be able to continue against Elina Svitolina?
It's been a good run in Paris so far for the Kazakhstani player, who didn't have the best clay season, despite beating Iga Swiatek in Stuttgart. Leading up to the event, she struggled with injuries and sickness, so there were many question marks regarding her level and expectations.
Her performance in Paris has been strong so far, so she's widely considered as one of the favorites. Now, she will face a tremendous competitor in Svitolina, who doesn't give up that easily. The Ukrainian had a good run in the French capital last year, and she's certainly not disappointing this year either.
Head-to-head:
Rybakina and Svitolina have only played three times in WTA Tour-level matches so far, which is quite surprising, considering that they've both been around for a while.
Svitolina leads the H2H 2-1, which is also a bit surprising, given how incredible the Kazakhstani player has been in recent years. The most recent of their matches, though, is quite a few years away.
They played in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics. Svitolina then produced a minor upset, despite being higher-seeded, beating Rybakina in a bronze medal match to win a medal for her country.
Their only match on clay also happened in 2021, and Svitolina won that one. Rybakina won their only grass match, which shouldn't be a huge surprise either. Style-wise, the Ukrainian can give the fourth seed some trouble with her defense, but she doesn't have the power to really match her in rallies.
| Elena Rybakina | Elina Svitolina | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | H2H | 2 |
| 4 | Rank | 19 |
| 24 | Age | 29 |
| 33-5 | 2024 W/L | 18-10 |
| 322-137 | Career W/L | 472-250 |
Prediction:
Rybakina is the better player overall and is expected to win this match, but I would not be surprised if it goes the distance. I think Svitolina will give her some trouble, but eventually, Rybakina will figure it out.
Prediction: Elena Rybakina to win in three sets.
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