Match Details
- Fixture: (1) Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena Rybakina
- Date: Jun. 20, 2025
- Tournament: Berlin Tennis Open
- Round: Quarterfinal
- Venue: Rot-Weiss Tennis Club, Berlin, Germany
- Category: WTA 500
- Surface: Outdoor Grass
- Live telecast: UK – BBC / US – Tennis Channel / Tennis Channel
Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena Rybakina Preview
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka will take on Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals of the Berlin Tennis Open. Whoever wins, will take on either Ons Jabeur or Marketa Vondrousova in the semifinals of the WTA 500 events.
Sabalenka has enjoyed an impressive 2025 season so far, winning two WTA 1000 titles in Miami and Madrid and reaching the final of the Australian Open and the French Open. The Belarusian started her grass season in Berlin after her loss to Coco Gauff at Roland Garros, and received a bye to the second round.
Here, she faced Swiss qualifier Rebeka Masarova and got off to a fine start by taking the opening set 6-2. The two played out a tightly-contested second set, which the World No. 1 won to register a 6-2, 7-6(6) win and book her place in the quarterfinals of the WTA 500 event.
Elena Rybakina has won 29 out of 40 matches so far this season, winning the Internationaux de Strasbourg, which was her first title in over a year. The Kazakh also reached the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Rybakina started her grass swing at the Queen’s Club Championships, where she was the fourth seed. The 26-year-old registered a comprehensive 6-4, 6-2 win over Heather Watson before suffering a 4-6, 6-7(4) defeat to eventual champion Tatjana Maria in the quarterfinals.
The Kazakh started her campaign in Berlin with a 6-3, 7-6(3) win over Ashlyn Krueger. She faced Katerina Siniakova in the second round and found herself a break down in the opening set before breaking twice to win it 6-4. The second set went to a tiebreak and Rybakina won it to register a 6-4, 7-6(5) victory and book her place to the quarterfinals.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena Rybakina Head-to-Head
Sabalenka leads 6-4 in the head-to-head between the two, but Rybakina won their last meeting 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 in the round robin of the WTA Finals last season.
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Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena Rybakina Prediction
Based on current form, Sabalenka is the clear favorite on paper but Rybakina is a more than formidable competitor and is capable of giving the Belarusian a run for her money.
Sabalenka won 37 out of 49 points on her first serve during her win over Masarova, serving five aces while producing as many double faults. Elena Rybakina has won 71 out of 98 points so far at the Berlin Tennis Open, serving 11 aces and as many double faults.
Both players love to attack and are impressive on grass, so we could have a thrilling encounter on our hands, as has been the case with most of their fixtures. Eventually, it could come down to a mental battle, and if we look at the last three meetings between the two, it has either been a win over Rybakina or Sabalenka winning by the skin of her teeth.
So, it will not be a surprise if the Kazakh edges out the World No. 1 because her calm demeanor has often managed to suppress her rival’s intensity.
Prediction: Rybakina to win in three sets.
