French Open 2024: Elena Rybakina Makes Aryna Sabalenka Priority Clear as Iga Swiatek Snubbed Despite High-Octane Rivalry

Playing and winning against the top two WTA players is a challenge for every player. However, Elena Rybakina might have cracked the secret of how to navigate around them. Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka, the current top 2 players in the world, have been making waves in the tennis world. But according to Rybakina, she has mastered her power game over one of them! On the other hand, she considers a battle with the other as a “tougher” one.

In a pre-tournament conference ahead of the French Open, Elena Rybakina revealed her insights on the upcoming event. A clip of that interview surfaced online on X, where fans witnessed the unique perspective of the Stuttgart Champion. When the reporter asked the World No. 4, “Who is the more difficult opponent for you, Iga Swiatek or maybe Aryna Sabalenka?”, she had a prompt answer in her head.

The No. 1 Kazakhstani player stated, “Well I will say, Aryna. We play a lot of tough matches and she is very aggressive. She has good power and with Iga, I feel like I am more dominant in the game by my power over Iga. With Aryna, it’s tougher.”

Elena Rybakina has faced off against Swiatek 6 times on-court, and their battles have been nothing short of intense. Interestingly, the World No. 1, who has been enjoying her top spot for 104 weeks now, has won only twice against Rybakina. Even the last time she played against the Pole in the semifinal of the Stuttgart Open, Rybakina emerged victorious using her powerful serves and groundstrokes. Naturally, her confidence while playing against the 22-year-old is quite high. However, that is not the case while playing against Aryna Sabalenka.

Fans have witnessed a captivating rivalry between Rybakina and Sabalenka on-court, having met 9 times. And among them, Sabalenka has won 6 times! Especially on clay, Rybakina has never managed to secure a victory against the 26-year-old player. Even a few weeks ago, the tennis world saw a glimpse of that during the Madrid Open semifinal, where Sabalenka’s aggressive style compelled Rybakina to face a disheartening loss. That match was a rollercoaster of power shots and momentum swings. However, defying all the odds, even against Sabalenka, Rybakina has proved her dominance on-court earlier this year.

Elena Rybakina describes how she and Sabalenka “push each other” to play well

In the Brisbane International match earlier this season, Elena Rybakina thrashed Aryna Sabalenka with a 6-0, 6-3 score. This match also brought an end to Sabalenka’s  15-match winning streak on Australian soil. Rybakina, who had dominated the court since the first set, made Sabalenka struggle to find her form. 

However, at the end of the match, Sabalenka was speechless! On the other hand, Rybakina shared her thoughts after the match and congratulated her opponent. “Despite the score, it’s always tough to play you. We push each other, which is great, and we improve in this way so I hope that continues.” As Rybakina continues to make her mark in the tennis world, hopefully, her “tough” matches against the top 2 players will continue to amuse fans worldwide.