Will the Kazakh seize the moment?
Two years ago, Elena Rybakina won the Wimbledon Championships and was crowned Grand Slam champion. This year, the Kazakh therefore played a leading role, especially as her successor and reigning title holder Markéta Vondroušová failed in the first round. The fact that Coco Gauff has already been eliminated alongside Iga Swiatek, while Aryna Sabalenka is missing through injury, further increases the Kazakh’s chances. But first, Elena Rybakina’s bet on the world number four reaching the semi-finals against Elina Svitolina must work out
The Ukrainian showcase player does not have the best record at the only Grand Slam tournament on the WTA Tour to be played on grass. Nevertheless, Elina Svitolina has already reached the quarter-finals twice at Church Road – most recently a year ago. In the case of Elena Rybakina against Elina Svitolina, the prediction must also take into account the fact that the Ukrainian survived the quarter-finals in both cases and was only eliminated in the semi-finals shortly before the final.
Both players know each other from four previous meetings. At first glance, the direct comparison with two wins each for both opponents does not allow any conclusions to be drawn about a possible outcome. On closer inspection, however, two important aspects become apparent. Firstly, Rybakina only just beat Svitolina 2-0 in the round of 16 at the French Open 2024. And secondly, the only match between the two women on grass to date was also won 2-0 by the Kazakh.
Because Elena Rybakina, as the 2022 Wimbledon title winner, is also the top favorite among the remaining eight players for overall victory, we find the greatest value in the bet that she can score the third smooth 2-0 victory over Elina Svitolina in this quarter-final. Alternatively, at Sunmaker Germany, you could also bet on the Ukrainian winning less than 0.5 sets. You can access the betting provider’s current bonus offer via the following banner:
Elena Rybakina – Statistics & current form
Current position in the world rankings: 4
Position in the seeding list: 4
Elena Rybakina was born in Russia, but has been competing under the Kazakh flag since 2018. The 25-year-old has already won eight singles titles on the WTA Tour. She undoubtedly celebrated her greatest success here on Church Road when she won the women’s singles at the Wimbledon Championships two years ago.
After reaching the quarter-finals at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club a year ago, the Kazakh now wants to reach for the stars again. With Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and defending champion Markéta Vondroušová already out of the tournament, Aryna Sabalenka has not even entered the tournament due to a shoulder injury
Wimbledon is a good place for Elena Rybakina
If Elena Rybakina’s bet on the favored world number four against Elina Svitolina pans out, it would be another milestone towards a second Wimbledon title. After all, the 25-year-old is also the top seed in the remaining main draw.
However, Elena Rybalika’s breathtaking Wimbledon record also speaks in her favor. The Kazakh won 18 of her 20 singles matches in the women’s singles at the London grass court Grand Slam, which corresponds to a strong win rate of exactly 90 percent
Elena Rybakina with two very quick wins recently
The WTA world number four only had to drop a set in the second round against Laura Siegemund (WTA 72) and then progressed to the quarter-finals for the third time in a row with very little effort.
Neither against former world number one Caroline Wozniacki (WTA 91), who she almost broke in just 58 minutes (6:0 and 6:1), nor against Anna Kalinskaya (WTA 18), who had to retire injured in the second set (6:3 and 3:0), did she have any problems. In total, she has been on court for just 109 minutes in the last four days and should therefore clearly have the freshness advantage on her side
Elina Svitolina – statistics & current form
Current position in the world rankings: 21
Position in the seeding list: 21
The 29-year-old Ukrainian Elina Svitolina has already achieved a number of milestones in her career. Not only has she already won 17 singles titles on the WTA Tour – including several major titles at tournaments such as the Italian Open and the Roger’s Cup.
She also became the unofficial world champion in 2018 with her overall victory at the WTA Finals. However, there is one thing the player from Odessa has yet to achieve: reaching the final of a Grand Slam tournament
Dominant performance in the round of 16
However, Elina Svitolina has already reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam three times – including Wimbledon in 2019 and 2023. However, the 29-year-old still cannot match the strong record of her Kazakh opponent at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. She has “only” won 20 of the 29 women’s singles matches she has played at the London Lawn Grand Slam.
Even in this year’s run to the quarter-finals, it wasn’t the really big names that stood in her way. Instead of Jessica Pegula (WTA 5), for example, she recently only had to deal with Wang Xin (WTA 42) and was able to clearly put the Chinese player in her place in a very one-sided round of 16 match in just 56 minutes, winning 6:2 and 6:1.
Elina Svitolina last without any trouble on her own serve
Elina Svitolina was particularly impressive on her own serve in the round of 16, winning 80 percent of her points on her first serve and 65 percent on her second serve, fending off all three break points from her Chinese opponent.
The Ukrainian had already eliminated Ons Jabeur (WTA 10), a top 10 player, against whom she also remained unbroken. And yet the odds are now against the 29-year-old Elena Rybakina against Elina Svitolina, who is regarded first and foremost as a defensive baseline player, which hardly comes into its own on grass, especially against such strong servers as the Kazakh. This was one of the reasons why she failed to make any headway in her only match against Elena Rybakina on grass to date, losing that match 2-0, as well as the last 16 of the French Open 2024.
Elena Rybakina – Elina Svitolina Direct comparison / H2H result
Head to head: 2:2
The two players have met four times so far and the head-to-head comparison is even with two wins each. Nevertheless, the advantage lies with the Kazakh, who was responsible for Elina Svitolina’s exit in the last 16 of the French Open 2024, eliminating the Ukrainian 2-0. Moreover, the only duel between the two women on grass to date also went to Elena Rybakina 2-0
Elena Rybakina – Elina Svitolina tip
The betting odds for Elena Rybakina against Elina Svitolina are very clearly in favor of the Kazakh, who won the Wimbledon Championships two years ago and has 18 wins from 20 singles matches at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. That corresponds to a win rate of no less than 90 percent, which her Ukrainian opponent is nowhere near matching. However, Elina Svitolina has also won 20 of her 29 Wimbledon singles matches
In view of the fact that the Kazakh has won both of her previous victories over the Ukrainian 2-0 – including not only the last singles match in the round of 16 of the French Open 2024, but also the only time the two players have met on grass – our prediction for Elena Rybakina against Elina Svitolina is a 2-0 win for the world number four