Elena Rybakina vs Madison Keys Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Australian Open

Prediction published on 18/01/2025, 08:57  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 18/01/2025 at 09:56 in Tennis Predictions

Sixth seed Elena Rybakina takes on 19th-seeded Madison Keys in the last 16 of the Australian Open. The winner will face either 28th seed Elina Svitolina or unseeded Veronika Kudermetova in the quarter-finals. Here's our round four match prediction.

Elena Rybakina is in the fourth round of this outdoor hard court Grand Slam for only the second time. The only other time past round three was in 2023 when losing in the final. The 25-year-old is up two places to fifth in the live rankings after her three wins this week.

Rybakina started the year with a loss to Iga Swiatek in the United Cup. Since then, she's won six matches in a row, all in straight sets. Two wild cards and the 32nd seed Dayana Yastremska have been beaten this week. All were won in straight sets with only 12 games lost.

Madison Keys has made an excellent start to the new year. A quarter-final in Auckland was followed by a title win in Brisbane with four top 20 players beaten.

So far in Melbourne, the world number 14 (13th in the live list) has beaten one seed so far with a win over Danielle Collins in the last round. Before that, Keys needed three sets to get past qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse in round two.

We tip Elena Rybakina to win.