Australian Open 2026: Elena Rybakina vs. Iga Swiatek Preview, Prediction, and Live Stream Details

Iga Swiatek holds a slim 6-5 lead over Elena Rybakina in their head-to-head record.

Australian Open 2026: Elena Rybakina vs. Iga Swiatek Preview, Prediction, and Live Stream Details

Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek (via X/The Tennis Letter)

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Elena Rybakina is in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open for the first time since 2023. The No.5 seed is seeking to reach her first Grand Slam final in three years and semi-final since the 2024 Wimbledon Championship. The Kazakhstan star will face the in-form Iga Swiatek, who is seeking to make history in Melbourne.

Swiatek is on course to make history at the Australian Open. She’s seeking to complete a career Grand Slam at the tournament and win her seventh major title. Should she achieve that, she will be the first woman since Maria Sharapova in 2012, to win all four Grand Slams in the women’s circuit. But she will first take on Rybakina in a blockbuster showdown inside Melbourne Park.

Elena Rybakina vs. Iga Swiatek: Match Details

  • Venue: Rod Laver Arena
  • Time: TBD
  • Round: Quarter-finals
  • Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
  • Date: January 28, 2026
  • Tournament: Australian Open 2026
  • Match: Elena Rybakina vs. Iga Swiatek

Elena Rybakina vs. Iga Swiatek: Match Preview

Elena Rybakina has continued to build on the momentum she gained at the end of last season. The former Wimbledon champion went on an 11-match winning streak on tour, claiming the Ningbo Open and the WTA Finals during that period. After crashing out in the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International, she arrived in Melbourne eager to prove she’s back to her best on the court.

At the Australian Open, she’s yet to drop a set. She beat Kaja Juvan, Varvara Gracheva, and Tereza Valentova in straight sets en route to the fourth round. In the round of 16, she faced Belgium’s Elise Mertens and dropped only four games in their clash, winning 6-1, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the Melbourne Grand Slam.

Elena Rybakina
Elena Rybakina (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

On the other hand, Iga Swiatek didn’t finish the 2025 season the way she had expected. The World No.2 crashed out of the WTA Finals in the group stage after winning just one match. However, she kicked off her 2026 campaign with a victory at the United Cup representing Poland, leading the team to their first championship at the event.

Swiatek has dropped just one set at the Australian Open, and that came against Anna Kalinskaya in the third round. She had defeated Yuan Yue and Marie Bouzkova in straight sets before battling against Kalinskaya 6-1, 1-6, 6-1. In the fourth round, she defeated Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis, who had a walkover following Naomi Osaka‘s withdrawal, 6-1, 6-3 in Melbourne.

Elena Rybakina vs. Iga Swiatek: Match Prediction

For the twelfth time, Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek will meet for a battle inside Melbourne Park. The match is arguably one of the most anticipated clashes in the women’s singles draw so far and could have huge implications on who will reach the final of the first Grand Slam of the season.

Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek (Image via X/United Cup)

Swiatek holds a slim 6-5 lead in her head-to-head record against Rybakina. She won their first meeting at the 2021 Ostrava Open, but Rybakina defeated Swiatek in the fourth round of the Australian Open in 2023. Rybakina also won their last match-up last year at the WTA Finals in three sets, but the Polish star won the match before that at the Cincinnati Open.

Swiatek is aiming to win the Australian Open, which has eluded her in her career, but Rybakina wants to prove she can challenge with the top players in big tournaments. With the way Rybakina won the 2025 WTA Finals, she’s hellbent on doing the same at the Australian Open. But Swiatek will not go without a fight, even though she has not been at her best in Melbourne.

Match Prediction: Elena Rybakina to win the match in three sets.

Elena Rybakina vs. Iga Swiatek: Live Stream Details

  • India – SONY
  • USA – ESPN, Tennis Channel
  • UK – TNT Sports
  • Canada – TSN, RDS
  • Australia – Nine, Stan. Sports
  • New Zealand– SKY

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