Elena Rybakina’s win yesterday at the US Open has set up a mouth-watering third-round clash, as she is now set to face Emma Raducanu.
It pits two massively in-form players against one another, and it really does feel difficult to pick an obvious winner between the duo.
Naturally, the former Wimbledon champion will be the slight favourite, but the British number one has proven her ability to challenge the very best players in the world over the last few months.
And, with a revamped serve, guided by new coach Francisco Roig, Emma Raducanu is once again a force to be reckoned with.
Speaking in her press conference after that second-round win, it seems Rybakina knows it as well.
Elena Rybakina previews her US Open match vs Emma Raducanu
Questions in the media room were dominated by talk of Raducanu, as one reporter sought to get a greater insight into how Rybakina is feeling about facing the 22-year-old.
She began by assessing her level: “Well, we played once a long time ago, and now she’s playing really well.
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“She’s a tough opponent and definitely she knows this place better than anyone else, and I’m looking forward for this match. I know that I need to improve a little bit from today and try to do my best, and hopefully, I will win that match.”
Touching on that doubles stint in Washington, Rybakina continued: “Well, uh, we both don’t play so much doubles, but sometimes on these tournaments, uh, especially at the beginning of the swing, like it’s nice to play.
“And she just asked me if I want to play and this is how basically we started to play and before that, we also tried, I think, once in Cincinnati, but it didn’t happen, so I was pretty happy to play with her, and it was fun.”
Then asked if they ever chat, she admitted: “Uh, rarely, but, uh, yeah, I think she was a nice girl, and of course, we’re all busy with our schedule and our teams we have, so of course, we don’t spend much time together, but she’s a really nice girl outside of the court.”
Rybakina concluded by outlining what she feels is one of Raducanu’s biggest weapons that could decide the tie: “Yeah, she serves really well and she did also when we played doubles in Washington and as I said, I think she plays very well now.
“She always had a really good movement on the court, so she’s a tough opponent, she just played with Aryna [Sabalenka] recently also, very close match, tough battle, but also yeah I’m expecting of course, high level from her and yeah, hopefully I can do well too, and yeah, let’s see how it’s gonna go.”
Raducanu cruised through her second-round US Open match earlier this week, and has had little trouble in reaching Rybakina in the third round.
Emma Raducanu has a huge chance to make a statement win over Elena Rybakina
Raducanu’s two close battles with Aryna Sabalenka, at Wimbledon and Cincinnati, should give her all the confidence needed to know she can compete with the best on tour.
After all, she remains the top-ranked player in the world, and on both occasions the Brit came so close to forging an almighty upset.
Rybakina does pose a different challenge, but has similarly powerful groundstrokes that Raducanu could redirect well.
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However, if her serve is firing, it might neutralise one of the 2021 US Open champion’s greatest strengths: her return.
If Raducanu can trouble the Rybakina serve and continue her own super serving form, it could prove to be a profitable afternoon for the former, and one of the greatest victories of her career.