Iga Swiatek kicked off Saturday at the World Tennis League with a 6-3 win over Elena Rybakina and Team Eagles now have an early lead versus Team Falcons.
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Early in the Abu Dhabi match, it was the 2022 Wimbledon champion who had the opportunity to make the first move but she didn't convert a break point on the Pole's serve in the third game - the world No. 2 won that game via a deciding point.
After a couple of games without break points on either side, Rybakina's service game went to deuce - and unlike the Kazakh - Swiatek was able to convert her first chance and open a 4-2 lead.
That one break of serve was enough for the four-time French Open winner, who then routinely held on to her serve for the remainder of the clash to complete the win.
It should be mentioned that the match could have finished sooner had the 23-year-old realized her first match point on the 25-year-old's serve in the eighth game.
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Now, they will stay on the court as the Pole will team up with Paula Badosa to take on the Kazakh and Caroline Garcia.
Swiatek's new coach just recently named Rybakina as the Pole's 'toughest opponent'
On the WTA Tour, the 25-year-old owns a 4-2 head-to-head against the world No. 2. And just recently, coach Wim Fissette named the Kazakh as the toughest matchup for the five-time Grand Slam champion.
But in their first meeting against Rybakina as a player/coach duo, the Pole and the Belgian ended victorious.
While it was just an exhibition match, it could possibly give Swiatek some positive momentum ahead of the 2025 season and the probable meetings she will have against the Kazakh.
It remains to be seen if the former world No. 1 can now also win her doubles match with Badosa against Rybakina and Garcia.
