Although Iga Swiatek is the current world No. 1 and Aryna Sabalenka holds the title of defending champion at the Australian Open, tennis legend Martina Navratilova is favouring the in-form Elena Rybakina to secure victory in this year’s season-opening Grand Slam. Navratilova cites Rybakina’s impressive start to the 2024 season, notably winning the Brisbane International by defeating Sabalenka 6-0, 6-3 in the final and reaching the quarterfinals of the Adelaide International.
Navratilova shared her perspective, stating, “So, I think for me, she’s the favourite right now. Because the surface suits her better than Swiatek. And she’s got to have a lot of confidence about the way she played, dominating and being healthy. It’s between Swiatek and Rybakina.”
Rybakina, who finished as the runner-up to Sabalenka in Melbourne last year, is viewed by Navratilova as “super motivated” and confident, making her a strong contender for the Australian Open title. The tennis great believes that the surface at Melbourne Park suits Rybakina better than Swiatek.
Acknowledging Swiatek’s strong start to the season, Navratilova emphasizes Rybakina’s confidence and playing style as key factors in making her a frontrunner. Swiatek and Rybakina are in the same half of the draw, with a potential semi-final matchup looming if the seedings hold.
Swiatek faces a challenging route, including a match against former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, while Rybakina begins her campaign against former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova. Rybakina holds a 3-1 advantage over Swiatek in their head-to-head encounters.
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