Iga Swiatek makes feelings known about facing Elena Rybakina ahead of Qatar Open QF

Iga Swiatek opened up about setting up a blockbuster match against Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinal of the 2025 Qatar Open. The two women faced each other in the final of the WTA 1000 last year, where Swiatek emerged victorious.

The three-time defending champion kicked off her campaign by comfortably seeing off Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-2 following which she faced Linda Noskova, a player who has caused the Pole troubles on many occasions. However, this time around, Swiatek kept her cool and impressively turned things around to score a 6-7(1), 6-4, 6-4 win to reach the final 8.

Iga Swiatek will take on her rival Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinal of the 2025 Qatar Open. When asked about her thoughts on playing the Kazakh in a rematch of the final last year, the Pole said:

“For sure Elena is a really experienced player. One you need to be 100% against if you want to win. I’ll use my experience and the last match we played. It’s not gonna be easy. It’s gonna be a tough battle.”

Fifth seed Elena Rybakina decimated Peyton Stearns 6-2, 6-4 to claim a statement win following which she defeated Rebecca Srmakova 7-6(1), 6-2 to reach the quarterfinal. She has also been facing some struggles off the court as her ex-coach Stefano Vukov has been banned from the WTA Tour.

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A look at the head-to-head between Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina

The two women after their 2024 Qatar Open final- Source: Getty

Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina's quarterfinal clash will be the eighth meeting between the two women. The two share one of the most prolific rivalries of the current generation, always delivering high-quality matches. It is the Kazakh who currently leads this rivalry 4-3.

Swiatek and Rybakina faced each other for the first time in the quarterfinals in Ostrava 2021, where the Pole clinched a 7-6(5), 6-1 win. Following this defeat, the Kazakh clinched the next three matches at the Australian Open, the Indian Wells and the Italian Open, all of them happening in 2023.

When the two women faced off in the summit clash at the Qatar Open in Doha in 2024, Swiatek claimed a 7-6(8), 6-2 win to clinch her third-consecutive title in Doha. Following this, Rybakina got a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 win over the Pole in the semifinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.

Their most recent meeting happened at the 2025 United Open where Iga Swiatek's Team Poland and Elena Rybakina's Team Kazakhstan played each other in the semifinals. It was the Pole who clinched a hard-fought 7-6(5), 6-4 win.