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Elena Rybakina says whether she honestly thinks Iga Swiatek can win the French Open this year after playing against her

Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
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Iga Swiatek has reached yet another French Open quarter-final, having just beaten Elena Rybakina in round four.

Swiatek clinched a 36th French Open match win in round one, where the Pole defeated Rebecca Sramkova.

WTA number five Swiatek then picked up wins over Emma Raducanu and Jaqueline Cristian in rounds two and three respectively.

And she has now knocked out 12th seed Rybakina, with the fifth seed coming from behind to win 1-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Swiatek now takes on Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals of the French Open, a tournament she has won on four occasions.

2025 French Open - Day Eight
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images

Elena Rybakina pinpoints turning point in French Open loss to Iga Swiatek

Rybakina meanwhile has been analysing her defeat, discussing a turnaround in the match in her post-match press conference.

“Definitely there was a moment in the second set where I had the volley on top of the net and I lost it, so it was a big turnaround,” she said.

READ MORE: Emma Raducanu responds when asked what she needs to do to catch Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff

Iga Swiatek celebrates her win over Jaqueline Cristian at the 2025 French Open
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images

“She stepped in and started to play more aggressively and I was down already and also physically I started with a very good intensity. I was aggressive.

“In the second set it was quickly that she went up, so it was tough to come back and just generally I think I wasn’t pushing well with the legs on the serve, so it was a bit tough.”

Elena Rybakina says if she thinks Iga Swiatek can win the French Open

There is certainly no shame in losing to Swiatek at the French Open, with the Pole having dominated the event in recent years.

She may have entered the latest Grand Slam out of form, dropping to fifth in the WTA rankings, and she even looked like bowing out dramatically against Rybakina.

READ MORE: 22-time Grand Slam winner has already noticed something ‘fascinating’ about Iga Swiatek at the French Open this year

But the five-time Grand Slam champion and three-time French Open defending champion quickly turned on the charm.

She now has a fantastic chance of winning a fourth consecutive title at Roland Garros and a fifth in six years.

Sharing her verdict on the Pole, Rybakina said: “I think this tough match definitely gives her more confidence and especially when you get further in the draw.

“So I think she has all the chances like everybody else. She played well in some moments, in key moments. She has great intensity. I think she has all the chances.”

ResultYearTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Win2020French OpenClaySofia Kenin6–4, 6–1
Win2022French OpenClayCoco Gauff6–1, 6–3
Win2022US OpenHardOns Jabeur6–2, 7–6(7–5)
Win2023French OpenClayKarolina Muchova6–2, 5–7, 6–4
Win2024French OpenClayJasmine Paolini6–2, 6–1
Win2025WimbledonGrassAmanda Anisimova6-0, 6-0
Iga Swiatek Grand Slam finals

But her upcoming opponent will be full of confidence after a superb display of her own, with Svitolina having just knocked out Jasmine Paolini.

She came from behind to win 4-6, 7-6(8-6), 6-1 against the fourth seed, who entered the French Open as the Italian Open champion, and indeed as last year’s runner-up.