Preview: US Open: Elena Rybakina vs. Emma Raducanu - prediction, head-to-head, tournament so far

Elena Rybakina and Emma Raducanu, both of whom have had positive showings during the North American hard-court swing, face off in the third round of the US Open on Friday.

Although both women are former Grand Slam champions, Rybakina has never advanced to the fourth round in New York, while Raducanu made history four years ago in becoming the first qualifier to clinch a major at Flushing Meadows.

Match preview

Hard-hitting Rybakina must defeat a former US Open champion this week to finally reach the fourth round in New York for the first time.

The big-serving Kazakhstani star struggles with the final Grand Slam, never reaching the fourth round, a feat surpassed in Australia, where she was a finalist in 2023, in Paris as a two-time quarter-finalist, and at Wimbledon, where she claimed the title in 2022.

Previous defeats at this stage came against Simona Halep (2021) and Sorana Cirstea (2023) in three tight sets, but the world No. 10 aims to build on an encouraging performance in the lead-up tournaments to break new ground in the United States.

Rybakina reached the semi-finals of the three leading tournaments in Washington, Montreal and Cincinnati, losing to Leylah Fernandez, Victoria Mboko and Iga Swiatek, all of whom went on to clinch the titles.

The ninth seed enters Friday at 12-3 in her past 15 matches, and few players on the women's tour are in finer form than the 26-year-old.

While Raducanu has not been as consistent as Rybakina in the lead-up tournaments, the 2022 US Open champion has reached new heights of competitiveness, emphasised by taking Aryna Sabalenka to three sets in a three-hour match in Cincinnati.

The British star, who also reached the semi-finals in the WTA 500 event in the United States capital, has taken that form into the final Grand Slam of the year.

Although both Rybakina and Raducanu have not lost a set so far, the 22-year-old Brit has only lost six games and has not dropped her serve in the first two rounds.

Having entered this year's tournament without a win in New York since surprisingly winning the Slam as a qualifier in 2022, Raducanu now bids to secure only her fourth career top-10 victory.

That would require snapping a seven-match losing sequence against such opponents, with her last such triumph coming in a three-set battle against Emma Navarro in Miami this year.

Tournament so far

Elena Rybakina:

First round: vs. Julieta Pareja 6-3 6-0

Second round: vs. Tereza Valentova 6-3 7-6(7)

Emma Raducanu:

First round: vs. Ena Shibahara 6-1 6-2

Second round: vs. Janice Tjen 6-2 6-1

Head To Head

Sydney (2022) - Round of 32: Rybakina 6-0 6-1

Rybakina steamrolled Raducanu in their only match three years ago in Sydney, where she won 6-0, 6-1.

Unless injured, a similar result is unlikely, and Raducanu should be much more competitive.

However, the Briton's seven-match losing streak against top-10 players, five of which were straight-set defeats, hints at concerns ahead of Friday's match with Rybakina.

We say: Rybakina to win in three sets

Although Rybakina’s record at the US Open has always been disappointing, her form entering this year’s tournament suggests that a first fourth-round appearance is likely.

Raducanu’s improved competitiveness and ability to place her shots accurately in uncomfortable positions for her opponent could see her force a decider against the Kazakhstani star, who ought to see off the Brit in three sets and advance to face Marketa Vondrousova or Jasmine Paolini.