Rybakina and Mboko Clash in Doha with Ranking Implications
DOHA, QATAR – The quarterfinal stage of the Qatar TotalEnergies Open is set to deliver high stakes as No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina and No. 10 seed Victoria Mboko face off on Thursday. Both players are within reach of significant milestones in the PIF WTA Rankings, adding another layer of intrigue to their matchup.
Rybakina, fresh off her second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, carries a nine-match winning streak into the contest. She has already climbed back to a career-high ranking of No. 3, a position she previously held in June 2023. A favorable outcome in Doha could see her displace Iga Swiatek at No. 2, but the path to the top is contingent on other results.
Specifically, if Swiatek falls to Maria Sakkari in the quarterfinals, Rybakina only needs to reach the final to secure the No. 2 ranking. However, should Swiatek overcome Sakkari and advance to the semifinals, Rybakina will need to win the entire tournament to leapfrog her rival. The ultimate showdown – and the definitive answer to the No. 2 ranking – could come in a Saturday final between Rybakina and Swiatek.
Mboko, meanwhile, is also chasing a career milestone. Currently at a career high of No. 13, the 19-year-old has enjoyed a successful start to the season, reaching her third career final in Adelaide and the fourth round of the Australian Open. Her recent victory over Mirra Andreeva in Doha marked her third career Top 10 win.
A strong showing in Doha could propel Mboko into the Top 10 for the first time. Reaching the final guarantees her debut in the elite group, regardless of other results. Even a quarterfinal win over Rybakina, followed by a semifinal loss, would be enough to break into the Top 10, unless Karolina Muchova wins the title. Mboko’s Top 10 debut could even be confirmed on Thursday if she defeats Rybakina and Muchova loses to Anna Kalinskaya in the quarterfinals.
The head-to-head record between Rybakina and Mboko stands at 2-1 in favor of Rybakina, with all three previous encounters taking place in 2023. Rybakina secured victories in Washington (6-3, 7-5) and Tokyo (6-3, 7-6(4)), while Mboko claimed a hard-fought win in Montreal (1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4)), saving one match point in the process.
While the Rybakina-Mboko clash carries significant ranking implications, another quarterfinal match on Thursday – featuring two-time finalist Jelena Ostapenko against lucky loser Elisabetta Cocciaretto – does not directly impact the rankings for either player.
