Rome, May 11: Elena Rybakina has secured her spot in the Round of 16 at the Italian Open. She achieved this by defeating Alexandra Ella in straight sets on Sunday, winning 6-4, 6-3 at the Foro Italico. This marks Rybakina’s fourth advancement to the Round of 16 in her five attempts in the Italian capital.
This victory further solidifies Rybakina’s status as one of the top performers on the women’s tour this season. With 29 wins in 2026, she leads the WTA Tour in main-draw victories. Notably, she is the only player to reach the Round of 16 in all six WTA 1000 tournaments this year.
The 2023 Rome champion will face either Karolína Plíšková or Laura Siegemund in the next round, both of whom she has a strong head-to-head record against.
In her first career encounter with Filipino star Alexandra Ella, Rybakina’s baseline power proved decisive. The world number two consistently dominated rallies with her powerful forehand and impressive serves, pushing Ella far behind the baseline and forcing her to run from one end of the court to the other throughout the match.
Rybakina particularly excelled with her forehand in the opening set, establishing control early on with a series of impressive winners. Many of her most dangerous shots came “down the line,” preventing Ella from settling into long rallies.
After winning the first set, Rybakina quickly took the lead in the second set with an early service break. As the match progressed, her ability to attack Ella’s second serve became a significant factor. The former Wimbledon champion consistently moved inside the baseline to respond to shorter balls with powerful shots.
Despite the loss, Ella displayed remarkable resilience, effectively handling the breezy conditions for much of the match. The young Filipino player sparked a glimmer of hope by winning some impressive points midway through the second set, but Rybakina quickly responded, regaining control and maintaining her lead.
A crucial moment came late in the second set when Ella missed a chance at the net that could have given her a break point opportunity. Shortly after, Rybakina capitalized on the situation, saving her serve and sealing the victory with another powerful forehand winner into an open court.
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