Before heading to Australia for the start of the 2026 tennis season, a few of the top players will be in Shenzen for the World Tennis Continental Cup, a team-based exhibition event.
One of the marquee clashes will feature Iga Świątek, representing Team Europe, and Elena Rybakina, who will be playing for Team World.
Iga Świątek, Elena Rybakina Had Successful 2025 Seasons
Świątek had an excellent season in 2025, winning over 60 matches and her sixth Major title at Wimbledon. Along with the grass-court Major, she also won titles in Cincinnati and Seoul and a runner-up finish at the Bad Homburg Open.
On the other hand, Rybakina won 59 of the 78 matches in the season, winning titles at Strasbourg and Ningo. Her late surge in the second half of the season saw her qualify for the WTA Finals, where she won the title by defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
Iga Świątek vs. Elena Rybakina Match Details
Date: December 26, 2025
Tournament: World Tennis Continental Cup 2025
Venue: Shenzhen Universiade Center Stadium, Shenzhen
Surface: Indoor hardcourt
Live Telecast: Super Tennis HD/ Super Tennisx, Canal+ Sport 2
Iga Świątek vs. Elena Rybakina Head-to-Head
After 11 encounters, Świątek has a 6-5 lead in the head-to-head against Rybakina.
The two met on the WTA Tour five times in 2025. The Pole won four of those encounters, winning the matches at the United Cup, the Qatar Open, the French Open, and the Cincinnati Open.
However, in the last encounter, it was Rybakina who prevailed by scores of 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 at the WTA Finals.
Iga Świątek vs. Elena Rybakina Prediction
Świątek has reached only one indoor hard-court final in her life, back at the 2022 Ostrava Open, where she lost to Barbora Krejčíková. The Pole has won indoor titles, but both of them have a cup on indoor clay courts at the Stuttgart Grand Prix, where she was victorious in 2022 and 2023. Overall, she has a formidable hard-court record, winning 14 titles on the surface, including one Grand Slam, and seven WTA 1000 titles.
On the other hand, Rybakina won the WTA Finals in Riyadh, winning an indoor hard-court final for the first time in her career. She had also reached the final of the St. Petersburg Trophy back in 2020 on an indoor hard court, but lost to Kiki Bertens. Overall, the Kazakh has won six hard-court titles, including a WTA 1000 title and a runner-up finish at the 2023 Australian Open.
Świątek and Rybakina have had close encounters, as the Kazakh has one-shot power that very few players have on the WTA Tour; the Pole has the speed and accuracy of shots to counter that specific power.
However, coming into this match, it is Rybakina who holds the slight edge. She won the last match against the Pole on an indoor hard court, which suits her big serving and powerful baseline shots.
Pick- Rybakina To Win in Three Sets
