Elena Rybakina

The celebration was subdued, hardly a spike in emotions. But the day Elena Rybakina and Ons Jabeur met on Centre Court will be remembered as a day of tennis ...

Her win over Jabeur was just her third against a top 20-ranked player on grass -- the second was against Simona Halep in the semifinals. But in those second and third sets -- form and logic went out the window, and Rybakina was at her best, just like she was when she dispatched Halep in the semifinals. Jabeur was the first Arab woman to reach a Slam final, and the first from Africa since pro players were admitted to the major tournaments in 1968. But Rybakina found her rhythm and range, and Jabeur had no answers, the roles reversed. I just want to wish Eid Mubarak to Muslims all around the world." "It was such a tough match mentally and physically, so in the end I was just super happy that it finished. As the presentation was being arranged, she stayed in her seat. Jabeur was the overwhelming crowd favorite. For the past two weeks she has picked her way through the draw, but the questions she faced were as much about her tournament run as they were heritage. But it was near the end of the news conference when they pushed through, after she was asked what that victory would mean for her parents. "You wanted to see emotion," she said, tears on her cheeks. As Ons Jabeur pushed the forehand wide, sealing Rybakina's first Grand Slam, she clenched her left fist in celebration in the direction of her box.

Elena Rybakina rallied to become the first player from Kazakhstan to win a Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon.

It's amazing and I think you are an inspiration not only to young juniors but everybody. I've never felt something like this," Rybakina said on court after being presented with the Venus Rosewater Dish by the Duchess of Cambridge. She was generous in her praise of Jabeur, who was trying to become the first African woman and first Arab to win a Grand Slam title. She won five straight points to save the breakpoints and then broke Jabeur again to leave the Tunisian, who was attempting to become the first African woman as well as the first Arab to win a major, burying her face in her towel during the changeover. The Tunisian had three chances to level things up during a lengthy fourth game but Rybakina held firm and then broke Jabeur in the next game to take a 4-1 lead. Rybakina's booming delivery was supposed to be a key factor in the final but it was Jabeur who had less trouble in holding on to her serve in the opening stages on a sun-bathed Centre Court.

Too nervous to wave, Elena Rybakina stepped into the Centre Court sunshine before the Wimbledon final and kept a firm double-grip on the black-and-red ...

Now she was just a game away from the biggest victory of her career — and she got to serve for it. Jabeur needed to find a way to cut down on her mistakes and came close to changing the course of things while down 3-2 in the third. The hold there made it 4-2, and Rybakina quickly broke again. When another forehand went awry, Jabeur broke at love to take the opening set, yelled "Yalla!" — Arabic for "Let's go!" By the match's third game, Jabeur was reading Rybakina's serves and creating fewer inviting opportunities for baseline power. She was born in Moscow and has represented Kazakhstan since 2018, when that country offered her funding to support her tennis career.

Rybakina's victory at Wimbledon was deeply impressive but not the outcome that most in Centre Court or on the payrolls of the All England Club were yearning ...

The history, all those ghosts on the grass, can hit a player hard as they try to join the club. “It was good for my career,” said Shvedova of the switch. How do you convincingly paint Rybakina’s success as a bright and shiny tale of Russian triumph when it was Russia’s lack of support for her career that ultimately caused her to switch allegiances? She was already wearing her purple badge as a new member of the All England Club on Saturday night. “The Russians absolutely were questioning why, why, why. (Britain has had plenty of imports, including the former Canadian star Greg Rusedski and the former Australian Johanna Konta.) I saw the flags, so I don’t know how to answer these questions.” Thank God the Kazakhstan federation has been supporting her.” She is a Russian who was born, raised and, until this year, based in Moscow, where her parents and many of her closest friends still reside. Wimbledon, after all, has barred players who represent Russia, not players who used to represent Russia. And though Shamil Tarpischev, the longtime president of the Russian Tennis Federation, claimed “we have won Wimbledon” to a Russian state media outlet on Saturday night, that certainly rings hollow. The move came after pressure from the British government led by outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has had a much worse weekend than Jabeur has had. But Rybakina’s arrival comes at an awkward moment for those with Russian connections.

Rybakina, who was born and raised in Russia, started representing Kazakhstan after the Russian tennis federation gave up on her. She beat Ons Jabeur in ...

She did a lot of jogging in the first set, which she won when Rybakina sent a forehand into the middle of the net. Rybakina broke Jabeur’s serve in the first game of the second set, and Jabeur never truly recovered. Forehands that had sailed long at the beginning began diving into the corners and hitting the edges of the lines. She charged the net to close out points, and sealed the set with an ace that Jabeur could only stare at. At any moment, she can cut the ball on an angle and with a spin that makes it knuckle as it clears the net and finds the unguarded area of the court or smack a forehand down the line. On the court, Jabeur and Rybakina also promised one of the sport’s ultimate contrasts in styles. Tall and long and powerful with one of the most dangerous serves in the game, she was born in Russia and lived there until she became an adult. Rybakina struggled with her forehand as Jabeur danced across the grass showing off the array of her arsenal. Organizers made the move at the behest of the British government and the royal family. Rybakina told the Centre Court crowd that it had been an honor to play in front of the royal box. She is Muslim and the match fell on, Eid al-Adha — the feast of the sacrifice. On the final point, Rybakina watched Jabeur, the No. 2 ranked player in the world, send one last backhand return wide and strutted to the net with barely a celebration.

Elena Rybakina won the women's singles final Wimbledon on Saturday, claiming her first grand slam title and the first for Kazakhstan.

And in a tight final set, it was the Kazakhstani who just got stronger and stronger, eventually claiming her first grand slam title with another emphatic service game. It took just a few games of the final for the first shock. However, despite looking rattled in the opening set, Rybakina began the second frame strongly. I don't have the words to say how happy I am." "But I wouldn't be here without my team of course, so I want to say a big thanks to them. Without my parents I wouldn't be here for sure.

Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan became the first player from her country to win a major title at Wimbledon.

“I honestly didn’t think I was going to be in the second week of a Grand Slam at Wimbledon and then to be the winner it’s just amazing,” she said. “I want to congratulate Elena, she played amazing,” Jabeur said. She saved four break points and held to even the match at one set all. “I was super nervous before the match, during the match and I’m honestly happy that it finished to be honest because really I never felt something like this,” said Rybakina, the youngest woman to win Wimbledon since 2011. I think you’re inspirational not only for the young children but for everybody. Her victory comes after Wimbledon banned Russian and Belarusian players from the tournament after the invasion of Ukraine.

Elena Rybakina won the women's singles final Wimbledon on Saturday, claiming her first grand slam title and the first for Kazakhstan.

And in a tight final set, it was the Kazakhstani who just got stronger and stronger, eventually claiming her first grand slam title with another emphatic service game. It took just a few games of the final for the first shock. However, despite looking rattled in the opening set, Rybakina began the second frame strongly. I don't have the words to say how happy I am." "But I wouldn't be here without my team of course, so I want to say a big thanks to them. Without my parents I wouldn't be here for sure.

Rybakina is a 23-year-old who was born in Moscow and has represented Kazakhstan since 2018, when that country offered her funding to support her tennis ...

Now she was just a game away from the biggest victory of her career — and she got to serve for it. Jabeur appeared to give herself an opportunity to really change the course of things while down 3-2 in the third. She broke once more to begin the third, and went up 3-1. When another forehand went awry, Jabeur broke at love to take the opening set and threw an uppercut as she walked to the sideline. Rybakina is a 23-year-old who was born in Moscow and has represented Kazakhstan since 2018, when that country offered her funding to support her tennis career. There were glimpses of both in the opening game, including a 119 mph service winner on the match’s initial point.

Elena Rybakina raised the bar for subdued, self-admitted 'what to do?' celebrations as she afforded herself little more than a modest smile and wave to the ...

But for sure that's the goal, and that's what I'm going to work for." "It's really amazing to see a lot of fans, not just from Tunisia but from the Arab world," she added. I hope they're not really disappointed, but I'll try my best next time." I mean, it's just something I will never forget." "So I think this is the most important thing, that everybody, no matter their financial situation, no matter who they are, they can play and achieve many great results. I don't know why. "I didn't know what to do. I enjoyed the semi-final more. I was just trying to keep myself calm. Maybe one day, in few days, I sit down and I realise what I did. "I don't know what should happen. "I can't believe still.

The Russian Tennis Federation was quick to claim Elena Rybakina as "our product" on her run to the women's title at Wimbledon.

The Kazakhstan Tennis Federation stepped in with an offer — represent them in exchange for the cash needed to support the global lifestyle of a tennis player. President Tokayev said in front of Putin at a televised conference in St. Petersburg last month that Kazakhstan would not recognize the two Russia-backed separatist governments in eastern Ukraine. When Rybakina — nervous, barely smiling, seemingly not quite sure what she had achieved — climbed into the stands at Centre Court on Saturday to celebrate with her team, she embraced first KTF president Bulat Utemuratov, then Yaroslava Shvedova, the former player who has become her mentor. "Kazakhstani tennis player Elena Rybakina has achieved a historic victory in the extremely prestigious Wimbledon tournament. Rybakina, known for the big serve which has brought a tour-leading 253 aces this year, made the switch at 19 when her career stalled because of financial issues. Moscow-born Sofia Kenin, who left Russia as a baby and plays for the United States, won the Australian Open in 2020.

Born in Russia but having moved to Kazakhstan who offered her support - lack of which drove her to change nationality - the 23-year-old is now a subject of ...

Djokovic, who can still gain ground in the rankings, has his participation in the American hardcourt swing and subsequent US Open in doubt due to his unvaccinated status, putting things further in his favour. At the age of 18, Rybakina was put in a difficult position with regard to her future. The 26-year-old Medvedev is a well-known hardcourt specialist. Thanks to that, Russian tennis can not only stake claim on the reigning women’s Wimbledon champion, but perhaps more legitimately, also the men’s World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev. But the All England Club’s stance was solid, and with Russian commentators now taking credit for Rybakina’s triumph, their decision has effectively resulted in the very outcome they were trying to prevent. Yulia Putintseva, who has won 2 singles titles and has a career-high ranking of No.27 also switched allegiances. In the hours that followed Rybakina’s remarkable Wimbledon triumph, both Russians and Kazakhstanis jumped to take credit for her win. I saw the flags, so I don’t know how to answer these questions,” she said after the final. Qassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazakhstan’s President, tweeted: “Kazakhstani tennis player Elena Rybakina has won a historic victory in the most prestigious Wimbledon tournament. She played here with us for a long time,” after the win per AP. Russia Today, a state-controlled media outlet, led with the headline ‘Russian-born Rybakina triumphs at Wimbledon’ on their website. With Elena Rybakina’s breakthrough triumph on Saturday, things have not quite gone the way they would have liked. And now some Russians have announced Rybakina’s triumph as one of their own.