Elena Rybakina vs Elina Svitolina predictions: 2022 champ Rybakina can call the tune

- Both players have dropped only one game en route to quarter-finals
- Their head-to-head record is finely poised at 2-2
- Recommended bet: Elena Rybakina -1.5 sets handicap

Elena Rybakina and Elina Svitolina cross swords in a battle of two former world No. 3s on Wednesday to see who will progress to the semi-finals of Wimbledon.

Rybakina, who was crowned grass-court queen two years ago, was undone by an inspired Ons Jabeur in the quarter-finals last year.

Now the Kazakhstan resident, who is seeded fourth this year, is hoping to regain the title and with Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka out of the All England Club equation, the new title favourite could take some stopping.

Svitolina has never lifted a major singles title, but the Ukrainian won the lucrative WTA Tour Finals in 2018.

She is a two-time semi-finalist at Wimbledon so knows her way around grass courts probably as well as any other terrain, but Svitolina is up against an opponent in Rybakina who is likely to be tough to topple.

The stats

It is two wins apiece in the personal series of Rybakina and Svitolina.

Rybakina edged their only previous grass-court clash 6-4 7-6 in Eastbourne in 2021.

Rybakina also won their only meeting in the last three years when triumphing 6-4 6-3 in the French Open on clay in Paris recently.

In terms of age, Rybakina is still only 25 so may not yet have reached her physical peak, which could be a concern for anyone opposing her on the Wimbledon lawns, while Svitolina, who became a mother in late 2022, is 29.

Rybakina is fourth in the world, behind only Swiatek, Gauff and Sabalenka, while Svitolina is 21st in the latest rankings.

Prediction

Svitolina may receive the majority of crowd support in this one — and that could prove to be huge.

However, denying Rybakina, who is bidding to regain the grass-court crown after coming up just short in her title defence 12 months ago, could be a set too far for a player who spends much less time in the limelight these days.

Rybakina was a fine champion two years ago and it will be a surprise if she fails to add to that Wimbledon singles triumph.

She is usually a decent front-runner and this match could chiefly be about the attitude in which she approaches it.

Rybakina giving up a start of 1.5 sets looks appealing in this quarter-final showdown.

Back Elena Rybakina -1.5 sets handicap at 19/20 with LiveScore Bet.