I want to win each tournament - Elena Rybakina
World No 4, Kazakhstan’s best female tennis player, Elena Rybakina, shared her expectations ahead of the Wimbledon-2024 and told Kazinform about her preparation for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Rybakina is set to face 26-year-old Romanian player Elena-Gabriela Ruse (ranked 152nd by the WTA) in the first round of the tournament.
“I played vs. her two years ago in Miami. It won't be an easy match. I will prepare and we’ll see how it turns out,” says Elena, who beat Tunisian Ons Jabeur in the Wimbledon-2022 finals to get her first Grand Slam.
Elena shared her feelings on the Wimbledon courts and explained what this tournament differs from other Grand Slam events in.
“Here I won my first Grand Slam. Of course, this is a wonderful club that you always want to return to, because it is unique in its traditions. Grass, as a fast surface, gives me the edge due to my powerful serve,” Elena says.
She emphasized that she always strived for victory at any tournament. It is especially important for her to represent Kazakhstan at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
"I want to play each tournament and I want to win each of them. Representing Kazakhstan, I want to win even more, since at the last Olympics I was very close to a medal,” Rybakina said.
The athlete shared her impressions and feelings of staying in Paris.
“I feel fine in Paris, but, of course, the transition from grass to clay is not easy,” she notes.
She shared that after the landmark victories and achievements of Kazakhstani tennis players in prestigious tournaments, Kazakh tennis is experiencing significant rise.
“Definitely, Kazakhstan is developing in this regard with much more juniors competing. I hope that our results will motivate young players,” Rybakina says.
Four Kazakh tennis players - Elena Rybakina, Yulia Putintseva, Alexander Bublik and Alexander Shevchenko - will compete in the main draw of the Wimbledon-2024 tournament slated for July 1 -14. Anna Danilina and Alexander Nedovyesov will play in doubles.