Elena Rybakina Reveals Insights Into the ‘Difficult’ Encounter with Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros

Elena Rybakina holds a 4-4 head-to-head record over three-time defending French Open champion Iga Swiatek.

Elena Rybakina Reveals Insights Into the ‘Difficult’ Encounter with Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros

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

The Roland Garros will feature a blockbuster fourth-round clash between Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek. Rybakina booked a spot in the last 16 after thrashing Jelena Ostapenko, against whom Swiatek never won a match in their six encounters.

When it comes to head-to-head record, Swiatek leads, almost against everyone. Although she holds a 0-6 win-loss record over the Latvian, against Rybakina, she tied the record to 4-4 after her victories in this year’s United Cup and in the Stuttgart Open quarterfinal. Ahead of the match, Rybakina admitted that facing Swiatek on clay is a tough challenge.

It’s tough to play against Iga on clay. She spins the ball really well. She has unbelievable intensity on the court. It isn’t easy. I feel like Stuttgart is a special tournament because it’s indoor and the clay is also different.

Elena Rybakina said at the press conference

Rybakina entered the Roland Garros on the back of a successful run at the Strasbourg Open where she beat Liudmila Samsonova to end her trophy drought. Swiatek, on the other hand, hasn’t yet tasted success since winning her fourth French Open title last year. The 23-year-old is also bidding to reach her first final since that French Open.

In Rome, it was in other conditions. I cannot take it as everything is the same. It’s a tough opponent. She plays really well. She moves really well on the court. It’s gonna be a difficult one.

Elena Rybakina added

While Swiatek is playing the clay-court Major as a three-time defending champion, Rybakina hasn’t yet progressed beyond the quarterfinals, reaching the last eight in 2021 and 2024. Rybakina’s best Grand Slam performance came at Wimbledon, where in 2022, she beat Ons Jabeur.

Tim Henman explains why he thinks Iga Swiatek was not feeling confident during her third-round match

Before scheduling the fourth-round clash with Elena Ryabkina, Iga Swiatek had to overcome Jaqueline Cristian. Although Cristian easily lost the first set 6-2, she tried to make a comeback in the second set and was on the cusp of winning it to force a decider. But Swiatek didn’t squander the lead, eventually winning the match with a 6-2, 7-5 scoreline following which, she celebrated her victory with a roar.

Iga Swiatek (4)
Iga Swiatek (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

It was Swiatek’s first encounter on the tour against the 26-year-old. According to former player Tim Henman, Swiatek was not confident about her tennis. He told TNT Sports:

The reaction. Look, she’s won the match, but she’s such a good clay-court player. She’s won this four times; that reaction is very much symptomatic of where she’s at right now. There’s definite tension out on the court, perhaps not so confident with her game. When she got through, there was a big sigh of relief.

With this win, Swiatek extended her winning streak in the clay-court Major to 24 matches. The last time she lost a match here was back in 2021, in the quarterfinal against Maria Sakkari.

Swiatek is projected to meet last year’s French Open runner-up and two-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini in the fourth round. If she goes past the Italian ace, the fifth seed could face another tough challenge in the semifinals in the form of World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka.

Even though the five-time Grand Slam champion holds an 8-4 head-to-head lead over the Belarusian, she lost the match when they faced each other the last time (in the 2024 Cincinnati Open). On clay, Swiatek holds a 5-1 win-loss record over the three-time Grand Slam singles champion. In the final, Swiatek could set up a clash with Mirra Andreeva or Coco Gauff, who she defeated in the 2022 French Open final.

Also read: Aryna Sabalenka Reveals Her Change of Personality on the Court After Her Third-Round Win at Garros