Red-hot Rybakina defeats Svitolina under blue sky

Rybakina improves to 13-4 lifetime at Roland-Garros with the win, and will face 12th-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini in the quarter-finals.  

Story of the match 

Having won their most recent meeting in 2021, and their only clay-court meeting - in the 2020 final at Strasbourg - Svitolina entered the contest with thorough knowledge of Rybakina’s game. But the Kazakhstani has blossomed in the three years since the pair’s last meeting, adding multiple layers to her already lethal game to become one of the most punishing players on tour. 

Though she struggled to hit her marks early in the match, Rybakina made up for it with timely tennis in critical moments. Uncharacteristically, she made 12 unforced errors off the forehand wing in the opening set, but Svitolina lacked the means to make her pay for her sins. 

The 29-year-old Ukrainian, wife of Frenchman Gael Monfils and thus a crowd favourite in these parts, didn’t lack for trying. 

A four-time quarter-finalist in Paris and a natural on the terre battue, Svitolina probed her adversary to the best of her ability, keeping Rybakina in touch and even earning a break point to climb level at 4-4 in the opening set. 

That opportunity was quickly erased by Rybakina, who won three consecutive points and closed the game for 5-3 with her second ace. 

A second ace by Svitolina kept her within a break at 4-5, but the world No.4 stayed on the attack, converting her first set point in the next game and closing the set with 13 winners and 16 unforced errors. 

"It was really tough for me today," Svitolina said afterwards. "I feel like I was not so far from leveling up in the first set, but yeah, she played well.

"I missed my chance I feel like, but I mean, she's a great player. So always tricky because you feel like you're so close, but at the same time so far."

Rybakina broke Svitolina's serve quickly to open the second set and never looked back. 

Now finding her range in favourable conditions, the No.4 seed played with a loose hand, cracked winners with ease and moved ahead by a double-break at 4-1 before Svitolina could offer any resistance. 

Rybakina closed out the match in 69 breezy minutes, converting her second match point to improve to 12-1 on the clay for the season – and 20-1 in her last 21 outings on the surface. 

Key Stats 

Rybakina exercised her power advantage to the fullest, hitting more than double the winners of Svitolina (26 to 12) and was particularly menacing in a second set that saw her crack 13 winners against just seven unforced errors. 

The No.4 seed has yet to drop a set through four rounds, surrendering just 25 games in wins over Greet Minnen, Arantxa Rus, Elise Mertens and Svitolina. Rybakina improves to 5-1 in fourth round matches at the majors, with her only loss coming to Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon in 2021. 

Rybakina's take on the match 

On her performance: “Really happy with the performance. Elina, she’s a tough opponent, she’s a great fighter and it’s always difficult matches against her, but I’m really happy with the way I played and the way I served also.” 

On improvements on clay: “We’re trying to adjust the technique a bit. Of course on clay it’s a little bit more complicated for the movement for me, since I’m tall, but overall I’m doing a good job and I’m really proud of the way I improved in the last few years.”

On the sun coming out in Paris: “It’s nice to have good weather, finally, and to be playing without the roof. The ball is flying a little bit more but I think everybody enjoys the good weather.” 

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