Women’s Olympic Tennis Bronze Medal – Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina taking place? Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina will take place on Saturday 31st July, 2021 at (not before) 08:30 (UK)
Where is Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina taking place? Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina will take place at Ariake Tennis Park in Tokyo
What surface is Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina played on? Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina will be played on hard courts
Where can I get tickets for Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina? There are no tickets for Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina as Olympic Tennis will take place without spectators.
What TV channel is Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina on in the UK? Olympic coverage is shared between BBC and Eurosport so it is worth checking their schedules for Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina
Where can I stream Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina in the UK? If Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina is televised on BBC then it can be streamed live on the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website & app. If Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina is televised on Eurosport then subscribers can stream the match live on Eurosport Player
THE PREDICTION
World number 20 Elena Rybakina has two WTA titles to her name already but this week in Tokyo has been a watershed moment for her young career. The 22-year-old beat Garbine Muguruza in the quarter-finals as part of a fantastic campaign to the last four and she took a set off player of the Games Belinda Bencic in impressive fashion before defeat. The Kazakh should have a successful hard-court season after this performance but there is still something to win here first in this Bronze Medal match. Facing Rybakina is world number six Elina Svitolina, who lost to Tokyo 2020’s surprise package Marketa Vondrousova in straight sets on Thursday after an excellent campaign herself. Svitolina was the top seed for much of the tournament and she will be hugely disappointed to have lost the chance at a gold with a whimper.
This will be their first meeting on a hard court but Rybakina and Svitolina have met twice before on tour with the Ukrainian claiming the 2020 Strasbourg Open title on clay in a three-set victory over the Kazakh and Rybakina winning in straight sets at last month’s Eastbourne International. The 22-year-old has been so impressive this tournament but with so much on the line in this Bronze Medal match it would be surprising to see Svitolina’s experience not count for anything. This is a tough one to call but take the world number six to win at least a set as the likeliest player to come through this crunch match.
