Rybakina Defeats Ostapenko Advances to Face Swiatek at Roland-Garros

Elena Rybakina has advanced to the fourth round of the French Open after a commanding 6-2, 6-2 victory over former champion Jelena Ostapenko, setting up a highly anticipated quarterfinal clash with four-time champion Iga Swiatek. Despite Rybakina's historical strength on faster surfaces thanks to her serving and power, she has also thrived on clay, evidenced by her past titles and performance at Roland Garros. Swiatek, who has never beaten Ostapenko, faces a tough challenge from Rybakina, who previously defeated her in straight sets at the 2023 Australian Open and has reached the last eight in Paris twice before. Rybakina's recent resurgence follows a difficult year marked by illness and the suspension of her longtime coach Stefano Vukov for verbal abuse, although they continue to work together between tournaments. Both players acknowledge the difficulty of the match, with Rybakina emphasizing her focus on her own game amid different playing conditions on clay. This quarterfinal is poised as a blockbuster encounter, highlighting Rybakina's return to form and Swiatek's quest to maintain dominance at Roland Garros.