Iga Swiatek’s new coach Wim Fissette named Elena Rybakina because the Pole’s hardest opponent and never Aryna Sabalenka.
Whereas the Pole achieved nice success within the final three seasons and established herself as a dominant pressure, the world No. 4 stays a giant subject for her.
Since beating the Kazakh of their first assembly in 2021 Ostrava, the five-time Grand Slam champion has solely received considered one of their previous 5 conferences – all of these 5 clashes got here throughout the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
And never solely that Rybakina dominated Swiatek on sooner surfaces and owns a 4-2 head-to-head, however she additionally beat the four-time French Open winner after they met on the clay courts of Stuttgart earlier this 12 months.
Fissette, who began working with the present world No. 2 in October, spoke to Przegląd Sportowy when he was requested to call the Pole’s “hardest opponent.” He responded by saying it was the Kazakh tennis star.
Fact be instructed, the Polish tennis star owns a optimistic head-to-head in opposition to Sabalenka since she has received eight of their 12 conferences.
Rybakina answered why she feels she is a troublesome opponent for Swiatek
In April, the 2022 Wimbledon champion grew to become the primary participant since 2021 to beat the world No. 2 in Stuttgart after clinching a 6-3 4-6 6-3 victory within the semifinal.
“I feel it is simply type of the sport. Iga, she strikes rather well and she or he likes to dominate within the rally. With me, it is tough as a result of I play quick, I play flatter, and in addition like to maneuver the opponent. So it is type of, I feel, a matchup the place we’re each pushing one another, each making an attempt to dominate within the level. So I consider course additionally my serve helps rather a lot. That is why some matches I win; some matches I lose. Nevertheless it’s all the time robust for her to play in opposition to me and for me to play in opposition to her (smiling),” Rybakina defined after the match.
Will probably be attention-grabbing to see if Fissette may also help Swiatek work out a greater approach to compete in opposition to Rybakina going ahead.
