WTA Finals: Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena Rybakina Preview, Head-To-Head, and Prediction

Published 11/02/2023, 5:34 AM EDT

The group stage matches of the round-robin event in Cancun are coming to a conclusion. While some of the players qualified for the latter stages of the WTA Finals, other participants have not. Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina are also among those who have yet to secure a spot in the semifinals. Both players in the same exciting group have each tasted a single defeat at the hands of their rival.

Now, the WTA superstars will knock horns in a winner-take-all matchup on the outdoor hard courts in Cancun. It is going to be a nail-biter match, as this is an encounter between two top-ranked players vying to advance to the next round.

Aryna Sabalenka vs. Elena Rybakina: Group stage match preview

The Belarusian, who has now established herself as the world No. 1 on the women’s tour, is the top seed in the round-robin event. Justifying her rankings, Sabalenka started her campaign on a high note as she thumped the Greek, Maria Sakkari, with a bagel set, 6-0, 6-1. However, in the next group-stage match, the reigning Grand Slam champion was stunned by the 5th-seeded American, Jessica Pegula, in straight sets, 4-6, 3-6.

Elena Rybakina, on the other hand, didn’t have a great start to the outdoor hard court event in Cancun, as she was defeated by Pegula, 5-7, 2-6. However, the Kazakhstani tennis star later made amends in the next group-stage match against Maria Sakkari, outclassing her in a three-set thriller, 6-0, 6-7, 7-6.

Sabalenka vs. Rybakina: Head-to-Head Record

The WTA superstars confronted each other three times this season and six times on the tour in total. Sabalenka and Rybakina first met in the Australian Open finals, where the Belarussian was the winner, and she bagged her first major title, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

However, in their following meetings this season, it was the Kazakhstani tennis star who overcame Sabalenka at the Indian Wells Masters and the China Open. With Sabalenka holding a 4-2 advantage in their head-to-head record, the top-ranked players on the WTA Tour will now face off for the seventh time.

Prediction: Sabalenka to win the thrilling contest in Cancun

To advance to the subsequent round of the round-robin competition, both of the WTA superstars are going to put in their best efforts. But considering their previous matches and Sabalenka’s intense style of play on the court, the new world No. 1 will prevail in a close contest against Rybakina.

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Anurag Gusain is a tennis writer at EssentiallySports. Being a huge tennis fan, he enjoys watching the Spanish legend Rafael Nadal dominate other superstars on the ATP Tour. His coverage of Nadal's 14 French Open titles has been hailed as some of the best in the business, showcasing his talent for storytelling and his ability to capture the essence of the sport.