Elena Rybakina

It was an overall awkward match, from on court against Ons Jabeur to off-court politics that hung over Centre Court for a fortnight.

But she was able to play because she received funding from the Kazakhstan federation and changed her nationality. She was aiming to be the first Arab woman and first African woman to win a major title. Throughout the tournament, she has been measured and diplomatic when asked about the situation, likely aware of how politically charged it all was. Down 3-2 in the set, Jabeur used a drop shot and a well-placed lob to go up 40-love on Rybakina’s serve. People within the tennis world already knew she was a charming player and person who was also well-liked by players. Sometimes, a player is too good, you get blown off the court and all you can do is tip your cap to them and realize it just wasn’t your day.

Elena Rybakina beat Ons Jabeur 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the Wimbledon final on Saturday in London to become the first tennis player from Kazakhstan to win a Grand ...

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. By Rybakina's second service game, Jabeur was reading serves better and using her trademark variety to create less-inviting opportunities for baseline power.

À l'issue d'une quinzaine où elle a assommé ses adversaires avec son jeu puissant et déterminé, Elena Rybakina a soulevé samedi à Wimbledon son premier ...

Elle a cependant reconnu être «vraiment triste», d’autant qu’elle «essaye d’être une source d’inspiration pour des générations» en Tunisie. «Elle a un tel potentiel... «Pour dire la vérité, je ne pensais pas atteindre la deuxième semaine d’un Grand Chelem à Wimbledon. Alors remporter le tournoi, c’est vraiment incroyable. Avant la finale, Rybakina avait marqué 144 coups gagnants et passé 49 aces en six matchs. Je n’ai jamais rien ressenti de tel», a confié Rybakina (23e) sans parvenir à exposer sa joie tout intérieure. Y compris la championne 2019 et ex-N.1 mondiale Simona Halep.

Elena Rybakina l'emporte en trois manches contre Ons Jabeur en finale.

La Kazakhe a brisé Jabeur d’entrée de jeu à la troisième manche. À compter de ce moment, Jabeur a gagné du rythme et elle a suivi son plan de match à la lettre. Le point final à cette rencontre est survenu à 3-2 en faveur de Rybakina. Jabeur avait la chance de ramener les deux joueuses à la case départ avec trois balles de bris. Toutefois, le vent a tourné dès les premiers instants de la deuxième manche. J’essaye de faire de mon mieux. J’ai représenté ce pays lors des Jeux olympiques et de la Fed Cup. Lors de la première manche, elle a été brisée dès sa deuxième partie au service. «Je n’arrive pas à y croire, a indiqué Elena Rybakina en conférence de presse. Elle n’a pas été capable de convertir quatre balles de bris durant cette manche. Samedi, de façon ironique, c’est une joueuse d’origine russe qui a mis la main sur le titre féminin du tournoi du Grand Chelem. Elle met la main sur un chèque de 3,1 millions $ canadiens. Ce fut difficile et je crois qu’on a réussi ensemble.»

À l'issue d'une quinzaine où elle a assommé ses adversaires avec son jeu puissant et déterminé, Elena Rybakina a soulevé samedi à Wimbledon son premier ...

Elle a cependant reconnu être «vraiment triste», d’autant qu’elle «essaye d’être une source d’inspiration pour des générations» en Tunisie. «Elle a un tel potentiel... «Pour dire la vérité, je ne pensais pas atteindre la deuxième semaine d’un Grand Chelem à Wimbledon. Alors remporter le tournoi, c’est vraiment incroyable. Avant la finale, Rybakina avait marqué 144 coups gagnants et passé 49 aces en six matchs. Je n’ai jamais rien ressenti de tel», a confié Rybakina (23e) sans parvenir à exposer sa joie tout intérieure. Y compris la championne 2019 et ex-N.1 mondiale Simona Halep.

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.

À l'issue d'une quinzaine où elle a assommé ses adversaires avec son jeu puissant et déterminé, Elena Rybakina a soulevé samedi à Wimbledon son premier ...

Elle a cependant reconnu être «vraiment triste», d’autant qu’elle «essaye d’être une source d’inspiration pour des générations» en Tunisie. «Elle a un tel potentiel... «Pour dire la vérité, je ne pensais pas atteindre la deuxième semaine d’un Grand Chelem à Wimbledon. Alors remporter le tournoi, c’est vraiment incroyable. Avant la finale, Rybakina avait marqué 144 coups gagnants et passé 49 aces en six matchs. Je n’ai jamais rien ressenti de tel», a confié Rybakina (23e) sans parvenir à exposer sa joie tout intérieure. Y compris la championne 2019 et ex-N.1 mondiale Simona Halep.

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.

La Kazakhe d'origine russe a remporté, samedi, aux dépens de la Tunisienne Ons Jabeur son premier titre du Grand Chelem à Wimbledon, dans une édition où ...

En conférence de presse, elle a ensuite retrouvé sa décontraction et son naturel enjoué. « J’ai hâte de disputer ma prochaine finale. En réponse à l’invasion de l’Ukraine fin février par la Russie, avec le concours de Minsk, les organisateurs de Wimbledon ont en effet décidé cette année d ’exclure individuellement les Russes et les Biélorusses. Toute la quinzaine, Elena Rybakina a été assaillie de questions sur son pays de naissance. De l’autre côté du filet, Elena Rybakina déroulait un tennis plus puissant, même si avec son service comme arme maîtresse, la Kazakhe ne s’embarrasse pas trop de considérations tactiques. Sur l’herbe du All England Club, elle s’est découvert cette année la main verte, décochant 144 coups gagnants (dont 39 aces) en six matchs, éliminant au passage la Canadienne Bianca Andreescu et la Roumaine Simona Halep, deux vainqueures de Grand Chelem. Samedi 9 juillet, sur le gazon de Wimbledon, la Kazakhe vient de remporter le premier titre du Grand Chelem de sa jeune carrière en dominant la Tunisienne Ons Jabeur (3-6, 6-2, 6-2), laissant pantois un public britannique qui, selon la légende, s’y connaît pourtant en matière de flegme. Comble de l’ironie, sa présence au All England Lawn Tennis Club cette année tient à son seul passeport.

Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan recovered from a first-set loss to beat Ons Jabeur of Tunisia and claim the Wimbledon championship, her first major title.

Russian and Belarusian players were denied entry to the tournament because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Jabeur, a Tunisian who was also playing in her first Grand Slam final, was the first Arab woman to get that far in a major. As for Jabeur, her parents were unable to attend the match because their visas could not be processed in time.

Elena Rybakina a été calme et humble dans les secondes après avoir remporté son premier titre majeur en carrière.

« Je vais possiblement participer au tournoi de San Jose. J’ai besoin de quelques points. Jabeur retournera en Tunisie pour quelques jours. Je n’ai pas trouvé de solution pour cela aujourd’hui. Elle a très bien joué et elle méritait de gagner. Elle est une adversaire difficile à affronter avec ses amortis et le reste de son arsenal. « Je n’ai pas bien commencé le match. Elle n’a pas attendu d’être seule.

À l'issue d'une quinzaine où elle a assommé ses adversaires avec son jeu puissant et déterminé, Elena Rybakina a soulevé samedi à Wimbledon son premier ...

Elle a cependant reconnu être «vraiment triste», d’autant qu’elle «essaye d’être une source d’inspiration pour des générations» en Tunisie. «Elle a un tel potentiel... «Pour dire la vérité, je ne pensais pas atteindre la deuxième semaine d’un Grand Chelem à Wimbledon. Alors remporter le tournoi, c’est vraiment incroyable. Avant la finale, Rybakina avait marqué 144 coups gagnants et passé 49 aces en six matchs. Je n’ai jamais rien ressenti de tel», a confié Rybakina (23e) sans parvenir à exposer sa joie tout intérieure. Y compris la championne 2019 et ex-N.1 mondiale Simona Halep.

Dominée un set durant par Ons Jabeur, la Kazakhe retourne la situation (3-6 6-2 6-2) et empoche son premier titre d.

La Tunisienne avait trois occasions de revenir à 3-2 0-40 sur le service de Rybakina. Mais la Kazakhe sortait le grand jeu depuis le fond du court, tandis que Jabeur manquait par deux fois de réussite avec les lignes. Très calme au moment de fêter sa victoire, la joueuse kazakhe fut gagnée par une grande nervosité durant la partie. Honnêtement, je suis heureuse que cela soit terminé. J'ai tellement couru aujourd'hui que je crois que je n'ai plus besoin de faire de fitness de ma vie», a déclaré Elena Rybakina lors de la remise des récompenses, encore un peu sous le choc de sa victoire. Jabeur, qui a connu une progression lente et régulière depuis une dizaine d'années, saura certainement rebondir après cet échec. Sur les onze premières joueuses, cinq seulement ont remporté depuis un autre titre majeur et l'une d'elle, Ashleigh Barty, a déjà pris sa retraite tandis qu'une autre, Naomi Osaka, éprouve de grandes difficultés. La Tunisienne a certes raté sa finale.

Elena Rybakina took her first career Grand Slam title by defeating Ons Jabeur 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 at the Wimbledon final on Saturday.

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!” — and threw an uppercut as she walked to the sideline. 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.

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 had some long-term goals and she had some boxes to check at Wimbledon. She ended up checking a really big box.

Despite the milestone victory -- and collecting a $2.4 million paycheck -- Rybakina won't see her efforts rewarded in the rankings. Born and raised in Russia, she switched federations in 2018 -- Kazakhstan was formerly part of the Soviet Union and sits on the Russian border -- in order to gain additional funding for her career. It was a staggering turnaround, and she never allowed Jabeur a chance to get back into the match and almost completely silenced the crowd in the process. Currently ranked No. 23, Rybakina became the first woman ranked outside of the WTA's top 20 to win at Wimbledon since Venus Williams in 2007. In the final game of the set, she won every point on her serve, and sealed the set with an ace. When she returned to the court for the second set, she looked like a new player -- with an answer for everything Jabeur sent her way.

Elena Rybakina, a Russian until switching nationality to Kazakhstan in 2018, won the title at a Wimbledon that banned Russian players from entry.

She even put a picture of the trophy as her phone’s lock screen background. “It is therefore our intention, with deep regret, to decline entries from Russian and Belarusian players to The Championships 2022.” Rybakina didn’t take a similar leap in 2021, though she did beat Serena Williams during a French Open quarterfinal run. Jabeur said after losing in the Wimbledon quarterfinals last year that she would win the title this year. Rybakina eventually found her footing, breaking Jabeur to start the second set, and carried that momentum through. “I was just trying to keep myself calm.

La tenniswoman kazakhe d'origine russe, Elena Rybakina, 23e mondiale, a remporté son premier titre du Grand Chelem, samedi, à Wimbledon, en battant en ...

Née à Moscou, elle apporte au Kazakhstan, dont elle a pris la nationalité en 2018, son premier titre majeur, hommes et femmes confondus. "Pour dire la vérité, je ne pensais pas atteindre la deuxième semaine d'un Grand Chelem à Wimbledon. Alors remporter le tournoi, c'est vraiment incroyable. Le président de la Fédération khazake était d'ailleurs dans les tribunes et a été le premier à la féliciter lorsqu'elle a escaladé ces tribunes pour rejoindre ses proches, dont sa mère et sa sœur.

The 23-year-old won the championship at the All England Club with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Ons Jabeur — the first singles trophy at a major tournament ...

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La Kazakhe est venue de l'arrière pour disposer de la Tunisienne Ons Jabeur 3-6, 6-2 et 6-2 en finale du tournoi de Wimbledon, samedi.

Rybakina a misé sur son puissant service et son coup droit dévastateur pour venir à bout de Jabeur, reconnue pour ses balles à effet. Puis, après un autre coup droit brouillon, Jabeur a brisé son adversaire à zéro pour s'adjuger le premier set. Rybakina a démontré tout son arsenal dès le départ: un gros service, elle domine le circuit au chapitre des as en 2022, et un coup droit incisif. Pendant ce temps, les erreurs commençaient à s'accumuler du côté de Rybakina. Une volée dans le filet alors que le côté large du terrain était complètement ouvert. Depuis l'informatisation des classements de la WTA en 1975, une seule femme moins bien classée que Rybakina a triomphé à Wimbledon, l'Américaine Venus Williams, alors 31e, en 2007. Rybakina, une joueuse âgée de 23 ans qui est née à Moscou, représente le Kazakhstan depuis 2018, après que l'ex-pays de l'Union soviétique lui eut offert du financement pour sa carrière sportive.

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.

La Kazakhe Elena Rybakina est venue de l'arrière pour disposer de la Tunisienne Ons Jabeur 3-6, 6-2 et 6-2 en finale du tournoi de Wimbledon, samedi.

Puis, après un autre coup droit brouillon, Jabeur a brisé son adversaire à zéro pour s’adjuger le premier set. Rybakina a misé sur son puissant service et son coup droit dévastateur pour venir à bout de Jabeur, reconnue pour ses balles à effet. Rybakina, une joueuse âgée de 23 ans qui est née à Moscou, représente le Kazakhstan depuis 2018, après que l’ex-pays de l’Union soviétique lui eut offert du financement pour sa carrière sportive.

Trop nerveuse pour saluer la foule, Elena Rybakina a sauté sur le court central avant la finale des dames à Wimbledon en empoignant, à deux mains, ...

Rybakina a misé sur son puissant service et son coup droit dévastateur pour venir à bout de Jabeur, reconnue pour ses balles à effet. Puis, après un autre coup droit brouillon, Jabeur a brisé son adversaire à zéro pour s’adjuger le premier set. Rybakina a démontré tout son arsenal dès le départ : un gros service – elle domine le circuit au chapitre des as en 2022 – et un coup droit incisif. Pendant ce temps, les erreurs commençaient à s’accumuler du côté de Rybakina. Une volée dans le filet alors que le côté large du terrain était complètement ouvert. Depuis l’informatisation des classements de la WTA en 1975, une seule femme moins bien classée que Rybakina a triomphé à Wimbledon – l’Américaine Venus Williams, alors 31e, en 2007. Rybakina, une joueuse de 23 ans née à Moscou, représente le Kazakhstan depuis 2018, après que l’ex-pays de l’Union soviétique lui eut offert du financement pour sa carrière sportive.

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 it 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. Moscow-born Sofia Kenin, who left Russia as a baby and plays for the United States, won the Australian Open in 2020. "It's the Russian school, after all.

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

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After dropping the first set, Elena Rybakina regained her footing with her big serve and powerful forehand to beat Ons Jabeur and win the Wimbledon women's ...

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.

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.

Elena Rybakina proved much too good for her Wimbledon competition, but it put organisers in an awkward position. Read more here.

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Rybakina came from behind to beat Tunisia's world No 2 Ons Jabeur 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the women's singles final, a win which crowned her as Kazakhstan's first ...

Elena Rybakina bursts into tears while admitting her parents would be 'super proud' of her for making history in the Wimbledon final... ‘I want to thank the crowd for the support, it was unbelievable these two weeks,’ she said. I’m going to remember today forever.’

The Russian player representing Kazakhstan beat out Ons Jabeur to win her first Grand Slam title.

On the list of things that will nag at Jabeur in the days to come, add indecision. If they believe the call is wrong, they have the power to overrule. All she’d then is a publicist and a little bit of media training. That’s a big slice of the world. But one loose comment, said in a joking tone - “Elena stole my title, but it’s okay” - let you know where her head was at. The Kazakhs agreed to fund her training, prompting her to decamp Moscow as a teenager and swap flags. There was also the matter of officiating, which wasn’t up to standard. If the 27-year-old does not go on to win a major, the middle section of Saturday’s third set will haunt her. In two crucial instances, she advised Jabeur not to challenge calls she should have. But once she got going in the post-match, on-court interview, you got some sense of the actual person obscured by the remarkable athlete. When an interviewer prompted her to include her parents, Rybakina said: “To my parents. Until a week ago, Elena Rybakina was best known for being like a lot of other post-Soviet players.

The women's singles champion is delighted at collecting her first major but less pleased with the attendant limelight.

“The goal for this year was to be top 10 and it’s still the same goal,” she said. “She came to me and she said, I want to be No 1 in the world,” he recalled. “I saw from her that she really wanted to move fast. “Everybody is trying to help me because it’s the first time and there is so much attention,” she said. “I was 100% sure she could win one,” he said. “Well for now I can say that I’m not enjoying [the attention] that much,” she said, a few hours after her triumph.

Avec Serena Williams en fin de carrière et Ashleigh Barty à la retraite, Elena Rybakina a fait sa place à Wimbledon grâce à son service.

J’ai été chanceuse lorsque la décision a été prise. « Je crois qu’elle est l’une des meilleures joueuses de la nouvelle génération, a dit Jabeur. Je ne connais pas son âge, mais je sais qu’elle est jeune. Je me disais que j’avais besoin de ces gros services à ce moment, sans quoi je me serais retrouvée en position délicate. » La championne en titre était Ashleigh Barty avant samedi. Il s’agissait de son premier match de simple depuis sa défaite au premier tour l’an dernier en raison d’une blessure. Mais je crois que d’ici quelques années, il y aura une, deux ou trois joueuses qui seront dominantes.