Elena Rybakina is set to compete at the Canadian Open in Montreal next week, but what could her path to a possible victory at the WTA 1000 event look like?
World No. 3 Rybakina has had a fairly strong season so far. Although she has not yet been able to secure a second Grand Slam victory, the Kazakhstani player reached the final of the Australian Open earlier this year where she won the first set before being defeated by Aryna Sabalenka.
Rybakina has also won two WTA 1000 titles on the Tour this season and will be hoping to add another at the Canadian Open. But who will she have to face to get there?
According to social media platform Relevant Tennis, the 25-year-old will have a bye in the first round, before facing either Jennifer Brady or Jelena Ostapenko.
Round three could include a face-off against former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, who Rybakina defeated in the semi-finals of the 2023 Australian Open. The other possibilities are Sloane Stephens, Anhelina Kalinina, or Magda Linette.
If the 24-year-old makes it through to the quarter-finals, she could face Daria Kasatkina, Caroline Garcia, Marie Bouzkova, or Elise Mertens.
If Rybakina makes it through to the semi-finals, her match could be against either Petra Kvitova, Liudmila Samsonova, Aryna Sabalenka, or Belinda Bencic.
Following this, the 2022 Wimbledon champion could potentially have a battle with world No. 1 Iga Swiatek on her hands in the final, which would certainly be an exciting watch. Failing that, Rybakina could be playing against Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, or Maria Sakkari.
As the tournament's third seed, Rybakina has a good chance of going far and lifting the trophy at the end. However, she will want to avoid a repeat of last year's Canadian Open, where she went out in the second round against Gauff, losing in three sets.
Elena Rybakina’s potential path for Montreal: R1 - Bye R2 - Jen Brady / Ostapenko R3 - Azarenka / Sloane /Kalinina / Magda Linette QF - Kasatkina / Garcia / Bouzkova / Mertens SF - Kvitova / Samsonova / Sabalenka / Bencic F - Iga Swiatek / Gauff / Pegula / Sakkari 🇰🇿
