Svitolina defeats Rybakina to extend clay-court streak in Madrid
Elina Svitolina beat Elena Rybakina 6-3, 6-4 in the Madrid Open third round, marking her ninth straight clay win this season and moving her into the fourth round.
Key points
- Svitolina won 6-3, 6-4 over Rybakina in the Madrid Open third round.
- The victory is her ninth consecutive clay-court win this season.
- Rybakina committed 48 unforced errors and hit 24 winners to Svitolina's 10.
- Svitolina will face Maria Sakkari in the fourth round.
- She credited husband Gael Monfils for mutual motivation after his Auckland title.
Elina Svitolina continued her flawless clay-court run with a commanding 6-3, 6-4 victory over Elena Rybakina in the Madrid Open third round, securing her ninth consecutive win on the surface this season. The Ukrainian, fresh off her title at Rouen last week, capitalized on Rybakina’s error-prone performance (48 unforced errors) to advance to her first Madrid fourth round.
Svitolina’s relentless baseline consistency neutralized Rybakina’s power, with the No. 17 seed converting critical breaks in both sets. Despite Rybakina firing 24 winners to Svitolina’s 10, the Kazakh’s erratic play proved decisive.
“We’re motivating each other,” Svitolina said post-match, crediting husband Gael Monfils for their mutual support after his Auckland title and her Rouen triumph. The win marks her first over Rybakina since 2021 and sets up a clash against Maria Sakkari, who dismantled Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-1 earlier Sunday.
Rybakina’s early exit compounds her ranking struggles, likely dropping her to World No. 1, while Svitolina eyes a deep Madrid run to add to her previous Rome titles.
Your questions, answered
What was the score of the Svitolina vs. Rybakina match?
Svitolina won 6-3, 6-4.
How many consecutive clay-court wins does Svitolina have this season?
She has nine straight clay-court victories.
Who will Svitolina play next in the Madrid Open?
She will meet Maria Sakkari in the fourth round.
Quick poll
How significant was Svitolina's win over Rybakina in Madrid?
0 votes
How does this story make you feel?
Topics
Up next · SportsJimmy Butler expected back for Warriors in Game 4 vs Rockets
