Elise Mertens vs Elena Rybakina Preview & Prediction | 2024 Brisbane International | Round of 16
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THE FACTS
What is this tournament classed as in terms of ranking points? WTA 500
When is Elise Mertens vs Elena Rybakina on and what time does it start? Elise Mertens vs Elena Rybakina will take place on Thursday 4th January, 2024 – not before 06:30 (UK)
Where is Elise Mertens vs Elena Rybakina taking place? Elise Mertens vs Elena Rybakina will take place at the Queensland Tennis Centre in Brisbane, Australia
What surface is Elise Mertens vs Elena Rybakina being played on? Elise Mertens vs Elena Rybakina will take place on an outdoor hard court
Where can I get tickets for Elise Mertens vs Elena Rybakina? Click here for the latest ticket information for Elise Mertens vs Elena Rybakina
What channel is Elise Mertens vs Elena Rybakina on in the UK? Elise Mertens vs Elena Rybakina will be televised live on Sky Sports in the UK
Where can I stream Elise Mertens vs Elena Rybakina in the UK? Sky Sports subscribers can stream Elise Mertens vs Elena Rybakina live on Sky Go
THE PREDICTION
World number four Elena Rybakina took the first set in the Australian Open final almost a year ago last season but saw Aryna Sabalenka fight back impressively to win. It was much the same scoreline that saw Rybakina lift her maiden Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2022, with Ons Jabeur taking the first set that day before a crushing defeat that the Tunisian was able to avenge in the quarter-finals last summer. 24-year-old Rybakina was in imperious form for the first half of last season but she struggled to find her best after contracting a virus at Roland-Garros, with two semi-final exits to Liudmila Samsonova at hardcourt Masters events in Montreal and Beijing avoidable. Former number 12 Elise Mertens has slowly drifted back to world number 30 in recent seasons, whilst maintaining a steady presence at top echelons of the doubles rankings, but she is still capable of a resurgence at 28 years old.
The Belgian came back from a set down to beat Sloane Stephens on Wednesday but Rybakina looks ready to challenge for the Brisbane title after a dominant opener of her own. The Kazakh leads their head-to-head 3-1, winning all three of their hardcourt encounters, to look the clear favourite here. Take Rybakina to win in straight sets, as she has done in each of their last two.
TIP: ELENA RYBAKINA TO WIN 2-0
