Iga Swiatek says what she’ll need to do to stand a chance vs Elena Rybakina at the Australian Open

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Iga Swiatek has kept her hopes of a career Grand Slam alive by reaching the Australian Open quarterfinals, where she meets Elena Rybakina.

Swiatek has been backed to win the Australian Open, which is the only Grand Slam trophy that the Pole has yet to lift.

She is a six-time Grand Slam champion at the age of just 24, boasting four French Open titles and one each at Wimbledon and the US Open.

But next up at the Australian Open is world number five Rybakina, who won the WTA Finals title at the end of the 2025 season, at which she beat Swiatek.

Who stops Iga Swiatek from completing the Career Grand Slam in Australia?

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Iga Swiatek wants to use past experience to beat Elena Rybakina

After knocking out home favorite Maddison Inglis, Swiatek was tasked with previewing her clash with Rybakina, with whom she has a 6-5 head-to-head record.

She said: “Well, I wouldn’t say head-to-head matters, because even when one of us was winning, it was always, I don’t know, a tight match or she beat me easy. Doesn’t matter.

“Doesn’t make sense to overanalyze who won the last ones or how it has been looking. Every match is a different story.

“Like in every match she’s been a tough opponent, and her tennis for sure is great. I need to be 100% ready and go for it and use my experience and also the knowledge from previous matches, and that’s it.”

Who is your dark horse for the 2026 Australian Open?

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The entire head-to-head record between Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina

It really is a fascinating head-to-head between the two WTA top five players, and one that has seemingly gone under the radar.

Instead, the exciting battle between Aryna Sabalenka and Swiatek has arguably taken centre stage, along with the Belarusian’s separate tussles with Americans Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula.

While Swiatek is slightly favored in the long-term against Rybakina, it is the Kazakhstan ace who holds the current bragging rights.

She won their WTA Finals group stage match in Riyadh before going on to lift the trophy, which earned her the biggest prize money payout in women’s sporting history at $5.235m.

Swiatek has dropped one set at this year’s Australian Open, where she has beaten Yue Yuan, Marie Bouzkova, Anna Kalinskaya and Inglis.

Meanwhile, Rybakina boasts a 100% record in Melbourne, knocking out Kaja Juvan, Varvara Gracheva, Tereza Valentova and Elise Mertens.