Jelena Ostapenko has long been one of the most devastating shot-makers of her generation and every time she steps on to a court, she is there to decide her own destiny in victory or defeat. On Friday afternoon, however, Ostapenko experienced the rare sensation of not being in control as Elena Rybakina put on a devastating exhibition of her effortless, destructive ball-striking to reach the fourth round of the French Open with a 6-2, 6-2 demolition of the former champion.
The most notable consequence of Rybakina’s victory, of course, is that she will renew her rivalry with the four-time champion Iga Swiatek in what will be the most highly anticipated match in either singles draw. In the match preceding them on Court Suzanne Lenglen, Swiatek closed out her 24th consecutive victory at the French Open by defeating Jaqueline Cristian 6-2, 7-5.
A week after winning her first title in over a year in Strasbourg, this victory marks another positive step forward for Rybakina. Much of her past 12 months have been extremely difficult, with the Kazakhstani falling from her career high ranking of No 3 to her current spot at No 11. Not long ago, Rybakina had positioned herself as the top contender to Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka. In recent months, she has been her own biggest rival.
Although Rybakina has been frequently sidelined with various illnesses over the past year, her issues have also been personal. In February, her previous long-time coach, Stefano Vukov, was suspended by the WTA tour for a year after the organisation concluded that Vukov had been verbally abusive to Rybakina, breaching the WTA’s code of conduct. Despite Rybakina objecting to the WTA’s ban, Vukov is banned from attaining accreditation at official WTA events and grand slam tournaments. On Wednesday, Rybakina noted that she continues to work with Vukov on-court between tournaments: “We usually practice together between the tournaments, not when the tournament is on,” she said.
It has been eight years since Ostapenko shocked the tennis world by spectacularly winning the 2017 French Open and Rybakina won her first grand slam title at Wimbledon in 2021. A battle between two major champions is always a significant event, but the prospect of a meeting with Swiatek, and their respective records against the four-time French Open champion, only added a level of significance to the tie.
At this point, the match-up between Ostapenko and Swiatek is the most notorious non-rivalry on the tour. After defeating Swiatek en route to winning the Stuttgart Open title last month, Ostapenko is now 6-0 versus the Pole having defeated her on every surface. Ostapenko is a supreme ball-striker and, when she finds her rhythm, she times the ball more sweetly than almost any other player. Even so, a player as distinguished as Swiatek having such a difficult match-up issue against a lesser opponent is shocking.
Although Swiatek avoided her greatest nemesis, facing Rybakina is hardly a positive outcome. Their head-to-head record is tied at 4-4 and Rybakina’s game matches up well against the Pole, with her powerful first serve neutralising Swiatek’s return of serve and she takes time away with her clean, flat ball-striking. As Swiatek attempts to rebuild her confidence on her favourite court after a difficult few months, this will be an enormous test as she attempts to win four consecutive French Open titles.
Elsewhere, the top seed, Aryna Sabalenka, eased into the second week with a comfortable 6-2, 6-3 win over Olga Danilovic of Serbia. Afterwards, Sabalenka said that she was happy for Swiatek to carry the title of favourite, and the pressure that comes with it, in this tournament: “It’s tough to predict in women’s tennis,” she said. “Let’s just leave it on Iga since she won it, what, three times in a row, really, right? I will just leave it for her.”
Amélie Mauresmo, the French Open tournament director, defended the tournament’s decision not to schedule women’s matches during the tournament’s night sessions. “For me, the message that I always said, and I will repeat, as I said, the conditions did not change from having one unique match in the evening,” said Mauresmo. “For me, the message is not changing, and it has never been that the girls are not worthy to play at night. It’s never been this. I will not accept that you carry this message. That’s really clear to me.”
Late on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Carlos Alcaraz, the second seed and defending champion, held off a brilliant surge from Damir Dzumhur to reach the fourth round with a tough 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory.
Alcaraz had appeared to be cruising to victory as he established a two-set lead over Dzumhur, a diminutive 33-year-old ranked No 69 in the world. As Alcaraz’s level slightly fell, the Bosnian played stellar tennis to win the third set before leading 3-1 in the fourth. Under real pressure for the first time this year, Alcaraz held his nerve as he reeled off five of the final six games to advance. He will next face Ben Shelton, the 13th seed, on Sunday.
