Under the Parisian sun at Roland Garros, Elena Rybakina, the No. 12 seed and former Wimbledon champion, narrowly escaped an upset in a thrilling first-round match at the 2025 French Open, battling past 202nd-ranked Argentine qualifier Julia Riera in a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 marathon that lasted nearly two hours. The Kazakh star, fresh off a title-winning performance at the WTA 500 in Strasbourg, showcased her trademark resilience, overcoming a mid-match wobble and a barrage of unforced errors to secure her place in the second round, where she will face American wildcard Iva Jovic.
Rybakina, ranked 11th in the world, entered the match as a heavy favorite, riding the momentum of her Strasbourg triumph over Liudmila Samsonova just days earlier. “I’m really happy with the week, with the way I played these matches,” she had said after her victory in Alsace, exuding confidence. “It was not easy, but I think I’m on the right way, playing better each match.” That confidence was evident early on as she stormed through the first set, breaking Riera twice to claim it 6-1 in a display of her powerful baseline game and pinpoint serving. Her 35 winners throughout the match underscored the devastating potential of her play, honed through years of discipline since switching to represent Kazakhstan in 2018.
However, the second set revealed vulnerabilities. Leading 4-2 and seemingly in control, Rybakina’s game faltered as Riera, a tenacious qualifier who had fought through three grueling rounds to reach the main draw, found her rhythm. The Argentine, ranked outside the top 200, clawed back, winning four consecutive games to steal the set 6-4 and force a decider. Rybakina’s 43 unforced errors, a stark contrast to her usual composure, reflected the physical and mental toll of her recent schedule, which included a demanding clay season marked by early exits in Madrid and Rome. Her health struggles in 2024, including allergies and a virus that hampered her French Open quarterfinal run, loomed as a reminder of her ongoing battle to stay at peak form.
The third set was a test of Rybakina’s resolve. She surged to a 3-0 lead, breaking Riera twice, but the qualifier refused to fade, leveling the score as the set tightened. “No matter the results of today, I played some tough matches, tough opponents,” Rybakina had noted in Strasbourg, and that grit carried her through. At 5-3, she faltered while serving for the match, but she regained her focus, breaking Riera in the next game to seal a 6-4 victory. The win, while not her most polished, highlighted her ability to grind out results under pressure, a quality that has defined her career since her junior days, when she reached the world No. 3 ranking and won a Grade-A title at the Trofeo Bonfiglio.
Rybakina’s journey to this point has been one of perseverance. Born in Moscow and initially competing for Russia, she switched to Kazakhstan at 19, a move that brought funding and opportunity but also scrutiny during her 2022 Wimbledon triumph. Her powerful serve and baseline aggression have made her a multi-surface threat, with nine WTA titles, including two WTA 1000 crowns in 2023 at Indian Wells and Rome. Yet, her 2024 season was marred by health setbacks, including withdrawals from the Italian Open and the Paris Olympics due to illness, and a split with longtime coach Stefano Vukov before the US Open. Despite these challenges, her Strasbourg title, her first in over a year, signaled a return to form.
As Rybakina looks ahead to her second-round clash with Iva Jovic, who advanced after defeating Renata Zarazua, she carries newfound confidence. “Now I think that I have a little bit more confidence coming to Paris, and hopefully I can play as good as I played here, and even better,” she said after Strasbourg. Fans on social media echoed her optimism, with one post noting, “Kazakhstan’s 12th seed Elena Rybakina summoned her experience to go past Argentine qualifier Julia Riera 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in her French Open opener.” While her error-strewn performance against Riera exposed areas for improvement, Rybakina’s ability to dig deep bodes well for her quest to go further at Roland Garros, where her best result remains a 2021 quarterfinal. With her sights set on a deep run, the Kazakh star is poised to let her game do the talking on the red clay.
# Elena Rybakina Fights Off Qualifier in French Open Thriller
Under the Parisian sun at Roland Garros, Elena Rybakina, the No. 12 seed and former Wimbledon champion, narrowly escaped an upset in a thrilling first-round match at the 2025 French Open, battling past 202nd-ranked Argentine qualifier Julia Riera in a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 marathon that lasted nearly two hours. The Kazakh star, fresh off a title-winning performance at the WTA 500 in Strasbourg, showcased her trademark resilience, overcoming a mid-match wobble and a barrage of unforced errors to secure her place in the second round, where she will face American wildcard Iva Jovic.
Rybakina, ranked 11th in the world, entered the match as a heavy favorite, riding the momentum of her Strasbourg triumph over Liudmila Samsonova just days earlier. “I’m really happy with the week, with the way I played these matches,” she had said after her victory in Alsace, exuding confidence. “It was not easy, but I think I’m on the right way, playing better each match.” That confidence was evident early on as she stormed through the first set, breaking Riera twice to claim it 6-1 in a display of her powerful baseline game and pinpoint serving. Her 35 winners throughout the match underscored the devastating potential of her play, honed through years of discipline since switching to represent Kazakhstan in 2018.
However, the second set revealed vulnerabilities. Leading 4-2 and seemingly in control, Rybakina’s game faltered as Riera, a tenacious qualifier who had fought through three grueling rounds to reach the main draw, found her rhythm. The Argentine, ranked outside the top 200, clawed back, winning four consecutive games to steal the set 6-4 and force a decider. Rybakina’s 43 unforced errors, a stark contrast to her usual composure, reflected the physical and mental toll of her recent schedule, which included a demanding clay season marked by early exits in Madrid and Rome. Her health struggles in 2024, including allergies and a virus that hampered her French Open quarterfinal run, loomed as a reminder of her ongoing battle to stay at peak form.
The third set was a test of Rybakina’s resolve. She surged to a 3-0 lead, breaking Riera twice, but the qualifier refused to fade, leveling the score as the set tightened. “No matter the results of today, I played some tough matches, tough opponents,” Rybakina had noted in Strasbourg, and that grit carried her through. At 5-3, she faltered while serving for the match, but she regained her focus, breaking Riera in the next game to seal a 6-4 victory. The win, while not her most polished, highlighted her ability to grind out results under pressure, a quality that has defined her career since her junior days, when she reached the world No. 3 ranking and won a Grade-A title at the Trofeo Bonfiglio.
Rybakina’s journey to this point has been one of perseverance. Born in Moscow and initially competing for Russia, she switched to Kazakhstan at 19, a move that brought funding and opportunity but also scrutiny during her 2022 Wimbledon triumph. Her powerful serve and baseline aggression have made her a multi-surface threat, with nine WTA titles, including two WTA 1000 crowns in 2023 at Indian Wells and Rome. Yet, her 2024 season was marred by health setbacks, including withdrawals from the Italian Open and the Paris Olympics due to illness, and a split with longtime coach Stefano Vukov before the US Open. Despite these challenges, her Strasbourg title, her first in over a year, signaled a return to form.
As Rybakina looks ahead to her second-round clash with Iva Jovic, who advanced after defeating Renata Zarazua, she carries newfound confidence. “Now I think that I have a little bit more confidence coming to Paris, and hopefully I can play as good as I played here, and even better,” she said after Strasbourg. Fans on social media echoed her optimism, with one post noting, “Kazakhstan’s 12th seed Elena Rybakina summoned her experience to go past Argentine qualifier Julia Riera 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in her French Open opener.” While her error-strewn performance against Riera exposed areas for improvement, Rybakina’s ability to dig deep bodes well for her quest to go further at Roland Garros, where her best result remains a 2021 quarterfinal. With her sights set on a deep run, the Kazakh star is poised to let her game do the talking on the red clay.
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