Stuttgart Open 2024: Elena Rybakina vs Jasmine Paolini; Preview, Head-to-Head, Prediction

The 2024 Stuttgart Open heats up the clay swing in the WTA, as it is the perfect stage for the players to get a feel of the soil. Elena Rybakina will play against Jasmine Paolini in the quarterfinal. Besides a few upsets, Rybakina has performed well in the ongoing season, reaching a final many times. Now, she looks to break through on clay. 

Paolini won the Dubai Tennis Championship earlier this year and won three matches in the Australian Open. Aside from these performances, she has not managed to earn more than two victories in other tournaments. She is also looking to turn it around.

Elena Rybakina vs Jasmine Paolini: Preview

Rybakina played her first match against Veronika Kudermetova in three sets, 7-6(3), 1-6, 6-4. With the help of 9 aces, she managed to win 66% of points on first serve and 41% on second serve. While she won 4 break points, she also gave away 5, which shows trouble under pressure. Additionally, Rybakina gave away 45 receiving points while winning 38, which also shows an issue with her serve, which was. however, solved near the end of the match.

Paolini beat Sara Errani 6-1, 6-0 and then Ons Jabeur 7-6, 6-4. She has hit 4 aces in total while receiving 7 from Jabeur. Paolini has only given away 2 out of 10 break points in both matches, showcasing great control under pressure. She won 9 out of 11, which showed her ruthlessness in breaking her opponents. Paolini’s serve has also shown dominance over her opponents as she managed 71% points on the first serve against Jabeur and 89% against Errani.

Rybakina vs Paolini: Head-to-Head

Rybakina and Paolini have traded blows against each other twice on the WTA Tour. They first met in the 2023 Italian Open, where Rybakina was the victor 7-6, 6-1. Their next meeting was held in the 2023 Cincinnati Masters, where Rybakina had won the first set, and Paolini led in the second, but the Kazakhstani player had to retire. They were set to play in Dubai this year, but Rybakina withdrew before the bout, helping Paolini win the championship for the first time in her career.

Prediction: Paolini to send Rybakina packing

The Kazakhstani player has found her way to the quarterfinal in Stuttgart for the first time and will fight to move deeper. However, Paolini is set to win their current clash. She is playing smashing tennis and even ousted Jabeur in straight sets. While Rybakina has shown amazing performances on clay, the chances of her victory against Paolini are minute, as she grew up playing on the surface. 

Paolini’s serves are on point at the moment, and her returns justify her victory. Although set to win, Rybakina will not make it easy for her. The Kazakhstani player is a serving monster herself, who needs to adapt to the clay to make it troublesome for her Italian opponent. As both are aggressive baseline players, the battle will be won by the one who can control the pace of the game. In their game, Paolini has a much better chance of being the one in control.