Rome. Elena Rybakina performed brilliantly and made it to the last 16 in the Italian Open tennis tournament. This star player from Kazakhstan defeated Alexandra Ella of Philippines 6-4, 6-3 in straight sets on Sunday. Rybakina, the 2023 champion on the clay courts of the Foro Italico, reached the last 16 for the fourth time, the result of her fifth attempt in Rome.
The win further cemented Rybakina on the list of top performers this season. She is ranked number one on the WTA Tour in 2026 with 29 main draw wins. The special thing is that she is the only player to reach the last 16 in all six WTA 1000 events this year.
In the next round, she will face Karolina Pliskova or Laura Siegmund, against whom she has an excellent record.
Rybakina’s baseline power showed wonders in the first match against Ella. The world number-2 captured the rallies with a powerful forehand and accurate serve, driving Ella to every corner of the court. Dominating the forehand wing in the first set, he hit consecutive winners.
After the early break in the second set, Rybakina attacked Ella’s second serve. In windy conditions, Ella played a fighting game and tried to make a comeback in the middle, but Rybakina managed to finish the match. Ella’s missed break point at the net at the end of the second set decided the match, after which Rybakina won with a powerful forehand.
This performance of Rybakina makes her a big contender for the tournament.
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