Elena Rybakina Secures Hard-Fought Comeback Win in Madrid Open Opener

World No. 2 Elena Rybakina kicked off her Mutua Madrid Open campaign with a gritty victory on the clay courts of the Spanish capital. In her second-round encounter, the Kazakh star overcame a stern challenge from Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse (No. 71 WTA).

The opening set belonged to Ruse, as Rybakina struggled to find her rhythm early on, dropping the set 4-6. However, the second set saw a dramatic shift in momentum. Elena regained her composure and began to dominate from the baseline, leveling the match with a convincing 6-3 scoreline.

The decider evolved into a grueling battle of nerves. With a spot in the next round on the line, the Kazakh standout showed her champion's mentality to clinch the set 7-5 in the final stages. The intense battle lasted 2 hours and 28 minutes, extending Rybakina’s flawless head-to-head record against Ruse to 3-0.

Up next for Rybakina is a high-profile showdown in the third round against the reigning Olympic champion, Zheng Qinwen of China (No. 36 WTA).