Elena Rybakina defeated Elena-Gabriela Ruse, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, in the second round of the Madrid Open.
The Kazakh was a break down in the deciding set, but fought back to secure her spot in round three.
It was far from a vintage Rybakina performance, although that’s somewhat understandable.
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During her post-match interview, Rybakina explained how difficult it is to adjust to the conditions at the Madrid Open.
Elena Rybakina confesses she still hasn’t adjusted to the Madrid Open conditions
“Well, it was a very difficult match, and today, I basically survived,” said Rybakina.
“It wasn’t my greatest performance, but [Elena] Gabriela [Ruse] played really well; she was playing very deep, aggressive, so it was very difficult.
“Also, my serve wasn’t really helping me today. I think I only served the last four games properly.
Elena Rybakina vs Elena-Gabriela Ruse – Match stats
| Stat | Elena Rybakina | Elena-Gabriela Ruse |
| Aces | 3 | 2 |
| Double faults | 3 | 5 |
| 1st Serve % | 58% | 60% |
| Win % on 1st Serve | 66% | 55% |
| Win % on 2nd Serve | 51% | 66% |
| Break points | 6/8 | 5/9 |
“The rest was a struggle, but I’m really happy that I managed to win, and hopefully I can bring better tennis in the next round.
“[After winning Stuttgart] the focus was already here, because the conditions are completely different, so you need to be prepared.
“For now, it wasn’t enough time for me, obviously.
“But I’m just hoping that I can improve in the next match.”
Rybakina’s serve has been a real weapon for her in 2026, but it wasn’t firing on all cylinders against Ruse.
Rybakina will be hoping a day of practice on the Madrid courts can help her serve adjust to the altitude ahead of her third-round match.
And she will need to adjust if she is to beat her third-round opponent, Qinwen Zheng.
The Chinese star won Olympic gold on the clay, and on her day, is one of the best players in women’s tennis.
Zheng, like Rybakina, needed three sets to win her opening match, defeating Sofia Kenin, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, on Manolo Santana.
Only time will tell who will emerge victorious when they meet for a place in the last 16 on Sunday, April 26.
Elena Rybakina leads WTA Tour for time on court in 2026
During her marathon win over Ruse, Rybakina became the player with the most time spent on court in 2026.
According to ‘Opta Ace‘, Rybakina has been on court for 51 hours and 17 minutes this year.
A remarkable statistic, but not all that surprising.
After all, Rybakina has made deep runs at almost every event she’s entered this year.
Elena Rybakina’s record in 2026
| Tournament | Performance | Three-set matches | Straight set matches |
| Brisbane International | Quarter-finals | 1 | 2 |
| Australian Open | Champion | 1 | 6 |
| Qatar Open | Quarter-finals | 2 | 1 |
| Dubai Tennis Championships | Third round | 1 | 1 |
| Indian Wells | Final | 2 | 4 |
| Miami Open | Semi-finals | 1 | 4 |
| Stuttgart Open | Champion | 1 | 3 |
| Madrid Open | Third round* | 1 | 0 |
| Total | – | 10 | 21 |
Rybakina has already played 10 three-set matches on the WTA Tour, and we’re only in April!
The 26-year-old will be proud of her efforts in 2026, and rightly so, but might be keen to wrap things up quickly when she returns for her next match!
