Elina Svitolina saved 16 of 20 break points against Elena Rybakina to pull off an upset victory over the World No. 2 on Wednesday night, marking her first appearance in the Rome semifinals in eight years.
Rome: Scores | Draws | Order of play
The determination Svitolina displayed during her comeback victory of 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in 2 hours and 23 minutes has long defined her successful career, which includes two titles in Rome from 2017 and 2018—the last time she reached the semifinals.
“Having moments like this after giving birth to our beautiful daughter, Skai, is incredibly special,” Svitolina remarked during her on-court interview. “Returning to the Top 10 and winning big matches give me such an amazing and precious feeling, motivating me to strive for more.”
With this victory, Svitolina’s record against Rybakina improves to 4-4 on the WTA Tour, and she’ll go on to face Iga Swiatek, a three-time Rome champion who secured her semifinals spot earlier in the day with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Jessica Pegula in just 67 minutes.
How Svitolina Withstood Rybakina’s Pressure
Before securing her semifinal spot, Svitolina had to fend off numerous break points from Rybakina. Here are some critical moments she navigated during the match.
Rybakina leads 5-2: While serving to stay in the set, Svitolina saved three break points—first with a forehand winner, then an overhead, and finally as Rybakina’s backhand flew long. Although Rybakina won the set with a crosscourt forehand, this was the moment Svitolina ignited her comeback.
Rybakina leads 6-2, 2-3: Following her first break at 3-2, Svitolina faced a challenging situation as she confronted triple break point. She saved the first with a running forehand winner, and the subsequent two by forcing errors from Rybakina. Ultimately, she held serve for 4-2.
Svitolina Takes Charge in the Decider
In the final set, while Rybakina converted both of her break points, it didn’t hinder Svitolina, who was in control of the rallies and the scoreboard. She gained an early lead and maintained a strong performance, eventually serving for the match at 5-4. With a powerful serve that Rybakina couldn’t return, Svitolina clinched the match, enhancing her record to 7-1 in three-set matches this season.
This semifinal marks just the third instance in the Open Era that former Rome champions meet in the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, following matches in 2006 and 2010. After recent semifinal appearances in Dubai and Indian Wells, Svitolina has reached three WTA 1000 semifinals this season, matching her career best from 2017. Her 15 career WTA 1000 semifinal appearances tie her with active players Karolina Pliskova and Coco Gauff, while only Iga Swiatek (22) and Aryna Sabalenka (21) have more.
