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TennisSection previews the 2023 Italian Open semifinal match featuring Elena Rybakina vs. Jelena Ostapenko on Friday, May 19, 2023.

Rybakina vs Ostapenko Match Details

Where is the match taking place: Elena Rybakina vs. Jelena Ostapenko will take place at the Foro Italico, Rome, Italy, for the 2023 Italian Open.

What is the start time: Elena Rybakina vs. Jelena Ostapenko will start at 7 pm local time (6 pm UK time)

How can I watch: The match will be telecast live on WTATV.com.

Rybakina vs Ostapenko Head-to-Head

Jelena Ostapenko leads Elena Rybakina 2-1 in their head-to-head but lost their last encounter at this year’s Australian Open to the Kazakh in straight sets.

Rybakina vs Ostapenko Prediction

Elena Rybakina advanced into the semifinals of the Italian Open at the expense of Iga Swiatek who sadly had to retire due to a thigh injury. The pair were locked in a very intriguing battle in the quarterfinal with Swiatek having taken a one-set lead before she picked up her injury during the closing points of the second set tiebreak. And despite taking a MTO and strapping her right thigh, she could only play four games in the third set before she called it quits. The win is Rybakina’s third over the Pole this season and is projected to rise to a career-high No. 5 on Monday. Rybakina can top it all off by going to the final. She’ll face Jelena Ostapenko whom she comfortably defeated in her run to the Australian Open final. Ostapenko, however, is fancying her chances here having studied Rybakina’s game on clay and coming to a conclusion that she’s not as effective as on hard courts. It’s not rocket science to assess that. The big servers struggle for pace in their ground strokes, with the heavy balls tending to move a little slower on clay or cut through the air with less speed. So we might see Ostapenko getting some free hits on Rybakina’s second serve. We like Ostapenko’s chances of taking at least a set here.