High-stakes rematch as Sabalenka and Rybakina renew their power rivalry for the semifinal spot
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka meets eighth seed Elena Rybakina in the Wuhan Open 2025 quarterfinals. Both players received first-round byes and have looked sharp since. Sabalenka extended her perfect Wuhan record to 18-0, becoming only the second player this century to achieve that after Caroline Wozniacki. She came from a set down to beat Rebecca Sramkova and then eased past Liudmila Samsonova in straight sets. Rybakina has been equally composed, defeating Jaqueline Cristian and Linda Noskova without dropping a set.
Sabalenka is a three-time Wuhan champion and has completely dominated this season. She owns titles in Miami, Madrid, Brisbane and the US Open, along with finals in Melbourne, Indian Wells, Stuttgart and Roland Garros. Deep runs in Berlin, Wimbledon, Rome and Cincinnati underline her consistency. Across 66 matches, she has struck 242 aces, winning 68.6% of first-serve points and converting 47% of break points.
Rybakina has produced a strong 2025 campaign. She began with semifinal runs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and captured the Strasbourg title. The Kazakh then reached quarterfinals in London and Berlin and made consecutive semifinals in Washington, Montreal and Cincinnati. She also made her first US Open fourth round. Across 62 matches, Rybakina has hit 394 aces, winning 73.7% of first-serve points and converting 42.7% of break points.
Aryna Sabalenka holds a narrow 7-5 edge in her head-to-head against Elena Rybakina. This compelling rivalry began in 2019 at the Wuhan Open, where Sabalenka claimed a gritty three-set victory, a result she repeated in their next three meetings. Rybakina eventually turned the tide at the 2023 Indian Wells, dominating in straight sets and backing it up later that year in Beijing. Since then, their encounters have gone back and forth, with the latest chapter written in Cincinnati 2025, where Sabalenka prevailed once again in straight sets.
| Year | Event | Round | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Cincinnati | Quarterfinals | Elena Rybakina | 6-1, 6-4 |
| 2025 | Berlin | Quarterfinals | Aryna Sabalenka | 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-6(6) |
| 2024 | WTA Finals | Round 1 | Elena Rybakina | 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 |
| 2024 | Madrid | Semifinals | Aryna Sabalenka | 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(5) |
| 2024 | Brisbane | Final | Elena Rybakina | 6-0, 6-3 |
| 2023 | WTA Finals | Round 1 | Aryna Sabalenka | 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 |
| 2023 | Beijing | Quarterfinals | Elena Rybakina | 7-5, 6-2 |
| 2023 | Indian Wells | Final | Elena Rybakina | 7-6(11), 6-4 |
| 2023 | Australian Open | Final | Aryna Sabalenka | 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
| 2021 | Wimbledon | Round of 16 | Aryna Sabalenka | 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 |
| 2021 | Abu Dhabi | Quarterfinals | Aryna Sabalenka | 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 |
| 2019 | Wuhan | Quarterfinals | Aryna Sabalenka | 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 |
| Aryna Sabalenka | Category | Elena Rybakina |
| 1 | Current Ranking | 9 |
| 472-198 | Career W-L | 376-161 |
| 56-10 | YTD W-L | 45-18 |
| 21 | Career Titles | 9 |
| 4 | Grand Slams | 1 |
| 4 | YTD Titles | 1 |
Sabalenka’s dominance in Wuhan and her superior form throughout the season make her the favorite to advance. However, Rybakina’s powerful serve and baseline consistency could keep the contest tight if she starts well. Otherwise, the result is rather obvious.
Prediction: Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets
Aryna Sabalenka enters as the favorite at -260, while Elena Rybakina stands as the underdog at +205, reflecting Sabalenka’s current momentum and perfect record in Wuhan.
Here are the betting odds according to FanDuel:
Aryna Sabalenka: -190
Elena Rybakina: +158
Here are the odds for total games as well as total sets for both players (sourced via FanDuel):
Total Sets Under 2.5: -223
Total Sets Over 2.5: +140
Total Games Under 21.5: -126
Total Games Over 21.5: -110
Set 1 Winner Sabalenka: -178
Set 1 Winner Rybakina: +132
(According to FanDuel: FanDuel offers exclusive promo codes, bonus deals and accurate odds for users upon signing up. Use FanDuel to ace your betting game in all sports!)
Mandatory Image Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
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