Elena Rybakina emulates Maria Sharapova and Monica Seles with the Italian Open run
Elena Rybakina has been one of the most consistent players on the WTA tour this season. She is now set to break into the top 5 after winning her first 1000 title at Indian Wells and reaching the final of the 2023 Australian Open.
Rybakina will next be seen in action in the final of the Italian Open. With the feat, the Kazakh international has become only the third woman in the Open Era to reach the finals of the Australian Open, the Indian Wells Open, the Miami Open, and the Italian Open in the same season. Monica Seles and Maria Sharapova achieved the milestone in 1991 and 2012, respectively.
3 - Elena Rybakina is the third player in the Open Era to reach the final in the same season at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami and Rome after Monica Seles in 1991 and Maria Sharapova in 2012. Annals.
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Rybakina lost to World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 3-6, 4-6 in the final of the 2023 Australian Open. She avenged that defeat by becoming the first player from her country to win the Indian Wells Open, clinching the final 7-6 (11), 6-4. The 23-year-old then went on to play the final of the Miami Open, where she came up short against World No. 10 Petra Kvitova 7-6 (14), 6-2.
The reigning Wimbledon champion has now reached her third WTA 1000 final in 2023 and is set to face 26-year-old Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina in the final of the Italian Open.
In 1991, Monica Seles won the Australian Open and Miami Open (held in Key Biscayne, US). However, she lost to Gabriel Sabatini and Martina Navratilova in the final of the Italian Open and the Indian Wells Open (then called Virginia Slims of Palm Springs), respectively.
In 2012, Maria Sharapova lost to Viktoria Azarenka in the final of the Australian Open, and the Indian Wells Open, and came up short against Agnieszka Radwanska in the final of the Miami Open. She went on to lift the trophy in Rome.
Elena Rybakina sets up the stage to win her second 1000 title
Elena Rybakina is currently in the best form of her tennis career. Her powerful shot-making and thunderous serves have helped her clinch her first WTA 1000 title in Indian Wells. Now she is hoping to double that tally at the Italian Open.
The four-time champion on the WTA tour is set to lock horns with the World No. 47 Anhelina Kalinina in the final of the 2023 Italian Open.
Rybakina ripped through her draw, dropping only one set along the way, and never looked in trouble against any of her opponents. On her way to the final, she overcame the likes of former Roland Garros champions Jelena Ostapenko and Iga Swiatek, who was also the defending Italian Open champion.
Elena Rybakina will fancy her chances of claiming her second title on the clay ahead of the 2023 Roland Garros, where she is guaranteed to be a top 5 seed, if not better.