French Open: Dejected Elena Rybakina Gets Real About What Holds Her Back From Breaking Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek’s Duopoly

Elena Rybakina has stormed through the French Open initial rounds by defeating her opponents in back-to-back matches. Currently, she is onto her next rival, Jasmine Paolini. But will the world No. 4 continue her winning streak in Paris and be able to achieve her second grand slam? The path will not be easy, as she will possibly have to face her old rivals, Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka before that. According to her, there are some crucial aspects that she has to focus on when it comes to facing these two on-court.

After beating Elena Svitolina in straight sets on Monday, the 24-year-old player has secured a spot in the quarterfinal of the French Open. Therefore, Rybakina, who didn’t go past the third round at the French Open in 2023, was in good spirits after the match. However, even then, the No. 1 Kazakhstani player discussed the improvements she wants to bring to her play when beating the world No. 1 and the world No. 2 players in tennis. In her post-match interview when the reporter asked, “What do you think you have to just a little improve to be the number one that you’re going for? Because it’s so little the difference and you’re working very hard to get?,” her response was instant.

Elena Rybakina replied, “It depends also on other players at the end of the day. Trying to um to be solid in these key moments…” She further emphasized how she focuses on staying strong during critical moments, acknowledging the close nature of matches against Aryna and Iga. “And uh every time I play against Aryna, Iga it’s really just a difference between a couple of points. It’s always tough matches and they’re doing amazing also so it’s in then just competition.”

The former world No. 3 has shown her incredible prowess on-court whenever she has faced Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka. Although she does not have a lead over Aryna Sabalenka (3-6), she has defeated Swiatek four times on-court among their 6 encounters! Moreover, the fact that the Stuttgart Open champion has never let the Pole win on clay, a place where Swiatek is most dominant, adds more to Rybakina’s astounding records.

Even in her last match against Swiatek in the 2024 Stuttgart Open, she defeated Swiatek in the semifinals ( 6-3, 4-6, 6-3), which further highlighted how she overpowers her on-court. But in the 2024 Qatar Open, it was Swiatek who claimed victory against Rybakina in the finals. Therefore, her battles with Swiatek have always been the ones where she has to give her all to win. Naturally, Rybakina considers there is a long way to go, especially when it comes to overthrowing Swiatek from the top spot. 

Same with Sabalenka as well, against whom she narrowly lost in the semifinals in Madrid (6-1, 5-7, 6-7). But the scenario changed in Brisbane, where she put up a great fight against the Belarusian player and clinched the title there. Hence, Elena Rybakina’s “tough” matches against the top two players have always resulted in bringing out her fierce self on-court. However, according to her, she has greater chances of defeating one player than the other among Sabalenka and Swiatek.

Elena Rybakina considers Sabalenka to be a bigger threat than Swiatek!

The top three WTA players have all been having an amazing season so far. Although Rybakina has suffered from back injuries and illness occasionally, whenever she was on-court, the World No. 4 made sure to make her opponents run for points. Swiatek herself has once admitted this and said, “She had struggles with some injury, but every time she’s healthy she is playing well.”

But when it comes to defeating Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, Rybakina expressed how she uses different strategies while competing against them. “I would say Aryna [Sabalenka]. We have played many difficult matches, she is very aggressive and has good power. And with Iga [Swiatek] I feel that I have more control in the game because of my power over her, so with Aryna it’s more difficult.”

As the tournament proceeds, hopefully, the tennis world will witness another one of Elena Rybakina’s battles with Swiatek and Sabalenka!