After closing to within three wins of a decorated career grand slam, Swaitek on Wednesday faces arguably the most formidable player in women's tennis right now.
After a couple of injury-troubled years, Rybakina has rediscovered the form that propelled the brooding Moscow-born Kazakh to the 2022 Wimbledon title and 2023 Australian Open final.
The power-serving world No.5 has won 18 of her past 19 matches and, most tellingly, crushed Swiatek 3-6 6-0 6-1 last-up en route to title glory at the prestigious season-ending championship in Saudi Arabia two months ago.
Rybakina also took down world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final, as well as claiming the scalps of top-five American stars Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula in a sizzling finish to 2025.
The 26-year-old has started this season in similarly hot form, dropping no sets and only 23 games in her first four matches this campaign.
Not that Rybakina cares too much, insisting she only ever looks forward, not back.
"I don't think at all about the last matches I played last year because for our sport it's quite a long time, already past," she said.
"I'm focusing every day on my practices, on what I need to improve, how I feel, what we need to adjust maybe.
"It's not really about the wins which I had. It's great to remember, but we just need to work."
It must be great for Rybakina to remember upsetting Swiatek, the reigning Wimbledon champion, in the fourth round at Melbourne Park three years ago.
"Yeah, we played many times," said Rybakina, who trails Poland's six-time major winner 6-5 in overall meetings.
"Of course, I know that I need to stay aggressive and go for my shots.
"When we played here, it was also hot so the ball was flying. We will see what's going to be the conditions, who is going to win.
"But definitely focus for me is my serve, stay aggressive and yeah, let's see."
After ending the dazzling run of Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis in round four, Swiatek insisted losing 12 of her past 13 games against Rybakina in Riyadh will count for nothing on Wednesday.
"I wouldn't say head-to-head matters because even when one of us was winning, it was always a tight match - or she beat me easy," Swiatek said.
"Doesn't matter. Doesn't make sense to over-analyse who won the last ones or how it has been looking. Every match is a different story."
The victor this time around will progress to a semi-final on Thursday against either Anisimova or Pegula.
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