Elina Svitolina’s impressive Italian Open campaign continued to blossom on Wednesday with victory over world number two Elena Rybakina.
Svitolina, the seventh seed in Rome, defeated Rybakina 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the Foro Italico.
The Ukrainian has set up a mouthwatering clash against Iga Swiatek, who comfortably defeated Jessica Pegula in her quarter-final match.
Is Iga Swiatek now the favourite to win Roland Garros?
What a performance!
Should Svitolina defeat Swiatek, she will play Coco Gauff or Sorana Cirstea in the Italian Open final.
Elina Svitolina has won 24 Italian Open matches
Svitolina, a two-time champion in Rome, has already equalled Serena Williams’ personal record in the Italian capital.
As per OptaAce, only two players have claimed more wins than Elina Svitolina at the Italian Open – since the WTA-1000 format’s introduction in 2009.
Those two players are Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek.
Azarenka, who has never won the Italian Open, leads all players with 27 match wins to her name
Swiatek, a three-time champion at the Foro Italico, has won 25 matches in Rome.
Svitolina, who won the Italian Open in 2017 and 2018, has now won 24 matches at the Italian Open – the same number as Serena Williams since the WTA-1000 format’s introduction in 2009.
Italian Open semi-finals
- Iga Świątek vs Elina Svitolina
- Coco Gauff vs Sorana Cirstea
Serena, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, won the Italian Open on four occasions before her retirement from the sport in 2023.
Serena won her last Italian Open title in 2016, defeating Madison Keys in the final.
The triumph would end up being Serena’s last at the WTA 1000 level.
Elina Svitolina’s record against Iga Swiatek
Elina Svitolina is certainly the underdog heading into her match against Iga Swiatek.
While Svitolina has performed superbly throughout her Italian Open campaign, there is simply no better clay-court player on the WTA Tour than Iga Swiatek.
Swiatek appears to have re-captured her best form in Rome, and she will take some stopping.
| Tournament | Winner | Score |
| 2021 Italian Open | Swiatek | 6-2, 7-5 |
| 2023 Wimbledon | Svitolina | 7-5, 6-7, 6-2 |
| 2024 Dubai | Swiatek | 6-1, 6-4 |
| 2025 Miami | Swiatek | 7-6, 6-3 |
| 2025 Roland Garros | Swiatek | 6-1, 7-5 |
| 2026 Indian Wells | Svitolina | 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 |
With that being said, Svitolina can take some confidence into her seventh meeting with Swiatek.
The Ukrainian defeated Swiatek in their last match at the 2026 Indian Wells Open, winning their quarter-final contest 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.
However, Svitolina has never defeated Swiatek on clay, losing both of her two matches against the Polish superstar on the red dirt.
