The quarterfinal of the Madrid Open shows a battle of Kazakhstani players as Elena Rybakina is set to face Yulia Putintseva. Aside from the Australian Open, Rybakina has managed to run far in almost every tournament she has played. She stepped into the Madrid Open after winning the Stuttgart Open and has a 7-match win streak to defend. 

By contrast, Putintseva played her first match on clay this year in the Madrid Open but showed a fantastic hold on the surface. She has only dropped one set so far, showing she is a good competition for Rybakina.

Elena Rybakina vs Yulia Putintseva: Preview

In Madrid, Rybakina beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-3, Maya Sherif 6-1, 6-4, and then Sara Bejlek 6-1, 6-3. Rybakina has hit 7 aces and 7 double faults, averaging 65% of points on first serve and 70.6% on second serves. She has had 28 chances to break her opponents and managed to claim the points 13 times. Bejlek had the chance to break Rybakina 15 times but only managed 2 breakpoints, which shows the world number 4 has good control under pressure.

Putintseva beat Yue Yuan 6-2, 6-4, received a walkover from Qinwen Zheng after 7-5, 2-0, Caroline Dolehide 6-2, 6-2, and then Daria Kasatkina 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. In all her matches, Putintseva has managed to hit 2 aces and 1 double fault. She has won 64% of points on the first serve and 57% on the second serve. Against Kasatkina, Putintseva won 6 out of 11 break points while giving away 3 out of 8.  

Rybakina vs Putintseva: Head-to-Head

Elena Rybakina and Yulia Putintseva have played against each other twice on the WTA Tour. Their first match was held in the 2020 Italian Open, where Putintseva emerged victorious in three sets, 4-6, 6-7, 6-2. They would then play in the 2021 Indian Wells Masters, where Putintseva would be victorious once again 6-2, 7-6. Although Putintseva has won both of their matches, even on clay, they have not competed for three years, and they are not the same players anymore. 

Prediction: Rybakina to take the victory

Both Kazakhstani players have shown great performances in the Madrid Open, but the younger one will reach the semifinal. Elena Rybakina has not dropped a set in Madrid and has managed to dominate players with her serve on the slightly faster clay. Her big serve and powerful groundstrokes aren’t usually an advantage on clay, but they have fared well in Madrid. 

While the cards are in Rybakina’s favor, her senior compatriot will definitely put up a tough match. She did not have a great year but found her calling in Madrid. Putintseva has shown fantastic returns on serve, which can become her big weapon against Rybakina. She can also exploit Rybakina with drop shots, as athleticism is a weak point of hers. Simply put, Rybakina’s current form is not one that will allow Putintseva to advance to the semifinal.