Elena Rybakina taught Iga Swiatek a lesson in the last two sets of their match at the Riyadh Masters, and took a huge step towards the semi-finals.
During her last two participations in the WTA Masters (in 2023 and 2024), Elena Rybakina failed to make it through the group stage, losing two out of three matches each time. But the 2025 edition could be the right one for the 26-year-old Kazakh player. After beating Amanda Anisimova in her first match, she took the scalp of Iga Swiatek this Monday in the second. Rybakina won 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 in 1h38 against the Pole, thus ending her series of four defeats against the world No. 2 in 2025 (at the United Cup, in Doha, at Roland-Garros and in Cincinnati).
Swiatek started well
However, the first set could suggest that Swiatek was going to achieve a fifth victory in a row against the Kazakh. She easily won the set, breaking at 1-0 on her first opportunity. She missed two balls from 4-0, but finished the set with 90% of points won behind her first ball. Elena Rybakina, however, started to play a little better at the end of the first set, and this continued into the second set. And in what way! Transformed, the Kazakh completely outwitted her opponent and quickly led 3-0, then 4-1, before signing another break and equalizing at one set all.
Rybakina wins last nine games
In the last, Swiatek defended herself a little better on her service games but was still broken three times, conceding a severe 6-0, with a shutout from Rybakina to finish. The Pole, for some unknown reason, did not shake the referee’s hand. She will face Amanda Anisimova on Wednesday in this “Serena Williams” group, while the Kazakh will challenge Madison Keys. The match between the two Americans this Monday will allow us to find out more about the qualifying scenarios.
MASTERS WTA / RIYADH
SERENA WILLIAMS GROUP
1- Rybakina: 2-0 (+3 sets/+16 games)
1- Swiatek: 1 victory, 1 defeat (+1 set/+1 game)
3- Anisimova: 0-1 (-2 sets/-8 games)
4- Keys: 0-1 (-2 sets/-9 games)
