Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Elena Rybakina vs. Jelena Ostapenko Head-to-Head, Preview and Prediction for the French Open 2025 Round 3

A Rivalry Rekindled: Two Champions, Two Styles, One Intense Battle at Roland Garros

Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The 12th seed Elena Rybakina, faces off against 21st seed Jelena Ostapenko today in the third round of Roland Garros. Rybakina opened with a three-set win over qualifier Julia Riera before cruising past wild card Iva Jovic. Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, meanwhile, battled through back-to-back comeback wins over Polina Kudermetova and Caroline Dolehide.

As the first week wraps up, star matchups are beginning to surface, and this is one of them. It’s a clash between the 2022 Wimbledon champion and the 2017 French Open winner. Rybakina enters on the heels of her Strasbourg title, while Ostapenko brings strong form of her own. Having won Stuttgart in singles and doubles titles in Abu Dhabi and Charleston alongside Ellen Perez and Erin Routliffe, respectively.

Elena Rybakina and Jelena Ostapenko will face each other in the 3rd round of Roland Garros.

Elena leads the head to head 3-2 and has won their last 3 meetings.

Both have won a WTA 500 title on clay this year.

Both play with incredible power.

2022 Wimbledon Champion vs 2017… pic.twitter.com/fTOZda0Y6n
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 28, 2025

Elena Rybakina vs. Jelena Ostapenko Preview

Rybakina has made several deep runs this season, though not without inconsistency. She reached the semi-finals in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with a quarterfinal in Doha, before hitting a lull where she didn’t get past the round of 16. That changed in Strasbourg, where she claimed her ninth career title by edging Liudmila Samsonova in three sets.

She holds a 23–9 record this year, with 170 aces, a 72.9% first-serve win rate, a 42.8% first-serve return rate, and a 41.6% break point conversion.

Elena Rybakina holding her Strasbourg trophy.

Things you love to see. ❤️

🐠🏆 pic.twitter.com/poCXmXc4kB
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 24, 2025

Ostapenko, on the other hand, has seen steadier results in doubles, with titles in Abu Dhabi and Charleston, while her singles season has been more erratic. She reached the Doha final, falling to Amanda Anisimova, and stunned world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to win Stuttgart. But outside of that, she hasn’t moved past the round of 16.

Her 13-11 record includes 106 aces, a 63.6% service win rate, a 43% return rate, and a sharp 48% break point conversion, proof of her aggressive style when opportunities come.

Ostapenko d. Caroline Dolehide 5-7 6-3 6-3

Jelena reaches the 3rd round of Roland Garros for the first time in 5 years.

The level of her tennis has been up and down this week.

But when it’s been up… oh my.

✅Won 8 of last 10 matches

🇱🇻🤍 pic.twitter.com/CpypAVTeZ7
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 28, 2025

Elena Rybakina vs. Jelena Ostapenko Head-to-Head Record

Elena Rybakina leads Jelena Ostapenko 3–2 in their head-to-head. Their rivalry began with back-to-back wins for Ostapenko in Linz (2019) and Eastbourne (2021), but Rybakina turned the tables in 2023, the year she climbed to a career-high No. 3. That season, she defeated Ostapenko in straight sets at both the Australian Open and Rome and edged her in a tight three-setter in Cincinnati to take the lead in their matchup.

Year	Event	Round	Winner	Score
2023	Cincinnati	Round of 32	Elena Rybakina	6–7, 6–2, 6–4
2023	Rome	Semifinal	Elena Rybakina	6–2, 6–4
2023	Australian Open	Quarterfinals	Elena Rybakina	6–2, 6–4
2021	Eastbourne	Semifinal	Jelena Ostapenko	6–4, 6–1
2019	Linz	Quarterfinals	Jelena Ostapenko	7–5, 6–1

Elena Rybakina vs. Jelena Ostapenko Comparison

Elena Rybakina	Category	Jelena Ostapenko
11	Ranking	21
354-152	Career W-L	259-166
23-9	YTD W-L	13-11
9	Career Titles	9
1	Grand Slams	1
1	YTD Titles	0

Elena Rybakina vs. Jelena Ostapenko Prediction

Both players arrive in form, Rybakina fresh off a title in Strasbourg and Ostapenko riding high from her win in Stuttgart. Rybakina brings serving consistency and controlled aggression, while Ostapenko’s fearless shot-making and high-risk style can overwhelm any opponent when it clicks. This could swing either way, to be honest, because both had their moments and lulls, but we will give Rybakina the benefit of her current form.

One more twist: if Iga Swiatek gets past Jacqueline Cristian in her third-round match today, the winner between Rybakina and Ostapenko will face the top seed next. That sets up a blockbuster either way. And ‘blockbuster’ is an understatement here. Since Rybakina and Swiatek are locked at 4-4 in their head-to-head, while Ostapenko remarkably holds a lopsided 6-0 record over the world No. 2.

Prediction: Elena Rybakina in straight sets.

Also Read: Iga Swiatek vs Jaqueline Cristian Head to Head Record, Prediction and Betting Odds for French Open 2025 Third Round

Elena Rybakina vs. Jelena Ostapenko French Open 2025 Betting Odds

Here are the betting odds according to BetMGM:

Elena Rybakina: 11/25

Jelena Ostapenko: 9/5

Elena Rybakina

French Open 2025

Jelena Ostapenko

Rudra Dubey

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I’m an academic turned sports writer from Raipur, India, specializing in the NFL, MMA, and tennis at The Playoffs. I previously wrote for Sportskeeda and hold a B.A. and M.A. in History. My journey into sports media began far from the field, rooted in the arts and sciences. Funny enough, I didn’t grow up a sports fan; I used to see it all as just noise. But a fateful writing job introduced me to the world of sports, and what began as a gig quickly became a passion. I understood those voices aren’t noise; they’re emotions of true sports fans, and now I am one of them, writing with the same energy I once questioned.