Elena Rybakina vs Iga Swiatek: 2025 United Cup - Preview & Prediction
WTA
Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek will meet in one of the most exciting matches played in the first week of the new season.
With so many options to choose from in the opening week of the new season, players are often spread across many tournaments, which makes it difficult for fans to see proper blockbusters.
However, one such match will happen at the 2025 United Cup, when Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina will take on Poland's Iga Swiatek in the semi-final clash between these two countries.
In this tie, the women's singles match will be played second, so one of the players will come onto the court having to win to keep her country alive, while the other will have a chance to clinch the win.
Rybakina's Kazakhstan eliminated defending champions Germany in the quarter-finals, while Swiatek's Poland bested Great Britain to reach the semi-final stages.
Following her win over Katie Boulter, Swiatek was asked about meeting Rybakina, and she was excited, as she wanted to properly test herself before the Australian Open, which is the first major of a new season.
"Honestly I'm happy, because it's a nice challenge, especially before a Grand Slam. Elena likes playing in Australia, so for sure it's going to be a challenge. I think these two matches that I played will help me, because I know what I need to do after playing these two matches, and kind of I got through some tough moments."
"So it's not going to be so new, like, on the next one. But honestly, I didn't know who I was even going to play, so obviously I can't say more."
Both of these players will enter their semi-final meeting undefeated this season, as both Rybakina and Swiatek won all three singles matches that they played at the United Cup so far.
Elena Rybakina vs Iga Swiatek Head-to-head:
In the past, these two players met six times in Tour-level matches, and also three times in exhibitions, with Swiatek winning two of those. In Tour-level matches, however, Rybakina has been the more successful player.
The Kazakhstani player beat Swiatek four times in their six meetings. The Pole won the first match, which happened in Ostrava in 2021, before Rybakina won all three of their matches in 2023, beating Swiatek at the Australian Open, in Indian Wells, and een at the Italian Open in Rome.
In 2024, Swiatek won their match in Doha before Rybakina, again, stunningly bested Swiatek on a clay court in Stuttgart. Although the Kazakhstani player surprisingly leads the H2H on clay 2-0 against Swiatek, this match will be obviously played on the hard courts, which should suit her more despite having a tied 2-2 record on the hard courts.
| Elena Rybakina | Iga Swiatek | |
| 4 | H2H | 2 |
| 6 | Rank | 2 |
| 25 | Age | 23 |
| 3-0 | 2024 W/L | 3-0 |
| 334-143 | Career W/L | 345-75 |
Elena Rybakina vs Iga Swiatek Prediction:
So far, Rybakina wasn't challenged by any of her opponents at the United Cup. Swiatek also won all of her matches, but she already lost a set to Katie Boulter, and she also required a medical timeout during that match.
Precisely because of the Pole's physical state, Rybakina's chances in this match might be higher than they would usually be, and she could even win this match in three sets.
Prediction: Elena Rybakina to win in three sets.
