Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina Tips, Prediction & Live Stream - Battle of former Rome champions

Andrew Hendrie

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Last updated: Wed 13 May 2026 02:18

Andrew Hendrie 13 May 2026

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Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina predictions for Wednesday's WTA Rome quarter-final
Clash of former Rome champions, with both players yet to lose a set this tournament
Rybakina holds a dominant 14-2 record in last 16 matches vs top 10
Svitolina struggles vs top 2 with a 2-9 record in last 11 such matches
The match is scheduled to start around 3.00am AEST on Thursday May 14

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Elena Rybakina (Photo by Getty Images)

Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina Tips, Prediction & Live Stream

It's a showdown between former Italian Open champions as Elena Rybakina and Elina Svitolina clash for the eighth time in the quarter-finals in Rome on Wednesday.

Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina Tips, Prediction & Live Stream
Rybakina vs Svitolina Stats & Trends
Rybakina vs Svitolina Head To Head
Elena Rybakina Form Analysis
Elina Svitolina Form Analysis
Rybakina vs Svitolina Live Stream

Svitolina has always performed strongly in Rome and won back-to-back titles at the tournament in 2017-18, while Rybakina emerged triumphant in 2023 and has established herself as a dominant top two player over the last eight months or so.

It goes without saying both players have been hugely impressive in 2026, setting up what should be a cracking quarter-final encounter in the Italian capital. The pair haven't dropped a set on their way to the last eight, with Rybakina looking to extend her slight 4-3 advantage in the H2H.

"We know each other well," Rybakina said. "I will try to do my best. I'll try to serve well, stay aggressive as always, recover and hopefully it's going to go my way."

Regular readers of our tennis column will know I backed Svitolina to emerge from the fourth quarter pre-tournament at $4.50, but I admit that bet mostly hinged on the hope of Rybakina losing before the quarter-finals. It might be worth hedging here if you followed along, but I'm still expecting a competitive contest.

I'm taking Over 21.5 total games as the best bet, with Svitolina having more of a chance of keeping things close and competitive on this surface. But overall, Rybakina has been in scintillating form all year and has an incredible recent record against the top 10 - the World No. 2 holds the edge.

Rybakina vs Svitolina Stats & Trends

Over 21.5 games has landed in four of the seven previous meetings
Rybakina has won 14 of her last 16 matches vs top 10 players
Svitolina has lost nine of her last 11 matches vs top two players
Rybakina has seen Over 21.5 games in eight of her last 12 matches vs top 10 players
Svitolina has seen Over 21.5 games in four of her last five matches vs top two players

Rybakina vs Svitolina Head To Head

Rybakina leads 4-3, but Svitolina has a 2-1 advantage on European clay courts.

Year	Tournament	Surface	Round	Winner	Score
2026	Indian Wells Open	Hard	Semifinals	Elena Rybakina	7–5, 6–4
2025	Madrid Open	Clay	Round of 32	Elina Svitolina	6–3, 6–4
2024	Wimbledon	Grass	Quarterfinals	Elena Rybakina	6–3, 6–2
2024	French Open	Clay	Round of 16	Elena Rybakina	6–4, 6–3
2021	Olympic Games	Hard	Round of 128	Elina Svitolina	1–6, 7–6(5), 6–4
2021	Eastbourne International	Grass	Round of 16	Elena Rybakina	6–4, 7–6(3)
2020	Strasbourg Open	Clay	Final	Elina Svitolina	6–4, 1–6, 6–2

Elena Rybakina Form Analysis

2026 Record: 30-6
WTA Rome Record: 14-3
Current Ranking: No. 2
Career-High Ranking: No. 2 (March 2026)

Rybakina has more than backed up her stellar finish to 2025, which saw her secure the year-end WTA Finals title.

Continuing her superb form, Rybakina started the year by winning her second major title at the Australian Open, while she also finished runner-up at Indian Wells.

After a semi-final defeat in Miami, Rybakina returned to the champions corner by taking the title in Stuttgart - however, she suffered her first poor defeat in the Madrid R16 when she went out to lucky loser Anastasia Potapova.

It's been business as usual for Rybakina in Rome, with the Kazakh advancing to the quarter-finals without dropping a set. The 2023 champion eased past Maria Sakkari and Alexandra Eala before dropping just two games in a 6-0 6-2 demolition of another former winner in Karolina Pliskova in the R16.

Elina Svitolina Form Analysis

2026 Record: 26-7
WTA Rome Record: 23-9
Current Ranking: No. 10
Career-High Ranking: No. 3 (2017)

It's been a fantastic season for Svitolina, continuing a brilliant comeback from maternity leave that has seen her re-establish herself as a top 10 player.

Svitolina was also on fire to begin the year, winning the title in Auckland before reaching the Australian Open semi-finals.

The Ukrainian also made the final in Dubai and semi-finals in Indian Wells and Stuttgart before an early opening round loss in Madrid to Anna Bondar.

Svitolina has returned to her best tennis in Rome, swiftly advancing to a sixth quarter-final at the WTA 1000 tournament. The 31-year-old hasn't lost more than five games in set, including notching victories over Hailey Baptiste and Nikola Bartunkova.