Iga Świątek and Elina Svitolina will face off in a blockbuster Italian Open semifinal on Thursday. The Pole appears to be slowly getting back to her best and is gunning for a fourth title in Rome. But Svitolina is also a two-time Italian Open champion and took down Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals.
Iga Świątek vs Elina Svitolina Match Details
Date: May 14, 2026
Tournament: Italian Open 2026
Round: Semifinals
Venue: Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Category: WTA 1000
Live Telecast: Tennis Channel, Sky Sports, TSN
Świątek vs Svitolina Head-to-Head Record
Świątek and Svitolina have met on 6 occasions on the WTA Tour, with the former holding a 4-2 lead. However, the Ukrainian came out on top in three sets when these two players met at Indian Wells in March.
Svitolina has not managed to take a set against Świątek in their two meetings on clay (Rome 2021 and Roland Garros 2025).
Świątek appears to have found her swagger on clay, and claimed an emphatic 6-1, 6-2 win over Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals. The six-time Grand Slam champion has lost just 7 games across her last 3 matches, looking more assured on her serve and creating break-point opportunities at will.
But Svitolina is also in fantastic form at the moment. She did not have to break a sweat in her first three matches and pulled off an upset from a set down against Rybakina in the quarterfinals. She saved a whopping 16 break-point opportunities and dealt with Rybakina’s dominant serve with fantastic counter-punching.
The 31-year-old is playing high-quality tennis this year and will be making her sixth semifinal appearance on Thursday.
Świątek vs Svitolina Prediction and Pick
This match pits two in-form players against each other, with Świątek and Svitolina both in fantastic form as we inch closer to the second Grand Slam of the year.
The key to Svitolina’s success has been her defensive instincts and mental toughness. She never seems to give up and is always competitive, no matter the opponent.
Świątek is one of the greatest clay-court players of the generation, with her Rafael Nadal-esque forehand making her unplayable on clay at times.
Svitolina will undoubtedly be wary of the heavy top-spin and sliding movement Świątek generates, but has a number of defensive tools in her own locker to take the game to the Pole.
This will be a fascinating battle between two exceptionally talented players, and the key could well rest on how much Svitolina has left in the locker following her intense match against Rybakina.
Świątek will hope to take advantage of any fatigue that Svitolina may be feeling, and we believe that the 24-year-old’s freshness will give her the edge.
Pick – Świątek in three sets.
