Elena Rybakina quite possibly is playing the strongest tennis out of any tennis player, but Iga Swiatek is basically unbeatable at the Qatar Open in Doha, and they are about to clash.
The Kazakhstani player played in Abu Dhabi last week and beat Daria Kasatkina in the final to win the event. She continued her amazing play this week in Qatar, making another final where she'll play defending champion Swiatek.
The Pole didn't have to work hard to get to the final because she advanced with a walkover thanks to the withdrawal of Karolina Pliskova. The Czech player was supposed to play her ninth match in 9 days, which ultimately didn't happen.
Swiatek has been amazing in Doha in the past, winning both last year's event and the one before. She hasn't lost in Doha in a very long time and will be looking to make it three years in a row of lifting the trophy.
Head-to-head:
Swiatek and Rybakina have played a few matches, and interestingly, the Kazakhstani player had better luck in the past. She actually leads the matchup 3-1, with the only win for Swiatek coming in their first match.
That was back in 2021, and since then, three more matches were played, and Rybakina won all of them. The most recent one was last year in Rome, and Rybakina won that one, but Swiatek actually retired. It's an interesting matchup, though, one the Polish player struggles with greatly.
| Iga Swiatek | Elena Rybakina | |
| 1 | H2H | 3 |
| 1 | Rank | 4 |
| 22 | Age | 24 |
| 7-1 | 2024 W/L | 11-2 |
| 288-67 | Career W/L | 300-134 |
Prediction:
I think this will be tough for Swiatek, even though she looked quite comfortable so far. Rybakina has been by far the best player this year, judging by her results, and I think she'll back it up tomorrow.
Having a better serve is a hugely important factor. If she delievers a good serve, she will win the match.
Prediction: Elena Rybakina to win in two sets.
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