Elena Likhovtseva defeated Irina Spirlea 6-1 6-3 in the US Open round of 32 on hard. The upset overturned the form book — Irina Spirlea came in leading the head-to-head 5–0, defending last year's round of 16. Elena Likhovtseva claimed a first win over Irina Spirlea in six meetings, narrowing the head-to-head to 5–1.
| Date | Tournament | Round | Surface | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-08-31 | US Open | R128 | hard | Irina Spirlea | 7-6 6-4 |
| 1997-07-28 | San Diego | R32 | hard | Irina Spirlea | 6-3 6-3 |
| 1997-03-07 | Indian Wells | R16 | hard | Irina Spirlea | 6-3 6-4 |
| 1997-02-10 | Paris | R32 | carpet | Irina Spirlea | 6-4 7-5 |
| 1997-01-28 | Tokyo | R32 | hard | Irina Spirlea | 6-3 6-4 |
Averages over each player's completed matches in the selected window. ATP, WTA & Challenger.