🎾 WTA Madrid: Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina

🎾 WTA Madrid: Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina – Match Preview

🧠 Form & Context

🇰🇿 Elena Rybakina

• Solid Clay Start: Opened her 2025 clay campaign with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Bianca Andreescu, her third straight-sets win over the Canadian across all surfaces.
• Madrid Success: Semifinalist last year, showcasing her ability to adjust quickly to Madrid’s altitude-boosted conditions.
• Season Consistency: Regular quarterfinal and semifinal appearances at Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Dubai, despite no finals since April 2024.
• Big-Match Readiness: Remains lethal with her first strike and tough to beat when in rhythm.

🇺🇦 Elina Svitolina

• Madrid Milestone: Broke through the second-round barrier in Madrid after nine previous failed attempts, beating Sonay Kartal in R2.
• Winning Form: Riding a six-match win streak, including a title win at Rouen without dropping a set.
• Strong 2025 Start: Quarterfinalist at the Australian Open and Indian Wells, showing renewed strength since returning to full-time competition.
• Clay Court Pedigree: Four-time Roland-Garros quarterfinalist and former Rome champion.

🔍 Match Breakdown

Rybakina’s powerful serve and clean hitting are ideally suited for Madrid’s faster clay, allowing her to play first-strike tennis effectively. Her dominant head-to-head record against Svitolina, including wins at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon last season, provides a psychological edge.

Svitolina brings strong defense, tactical grit, and match confidence. If she can neutralize Rybakina’s first serve and extend rallies deep into points, she can tilt the match toward her grinding style. However, failing to consistently disrupt Rybakina’s rhythm could quickly tilt the match toward the Kazakh.

🔮 Prediction

✔️ Prediction: Elena Rybakina in 2 close sets

Expect long, physical rallies and some resistance from Svitolina, but Rybakina’s altitude-friendly firepower and confidence in this matchup should carry her through.

---