"It’s a bit of a dilemma": Elena Rybakina's results "unpredictable" ahead of 2023 WTA Finals, says Martina Navratilova

Elena Rybakina's success at the 2023 WTA Finals could be in doubt due to her "unpredictable" results this season, according to Martina Navratilova.

The 2022 Wimbledon champion has had far from a difficult season. She reached the Australian Open final in January and went on to win two WTA 1000 titles at the 2023 Indian Wells and the Italian Open. Therefore, she qualified comfortably for the prestigious WTA Finals in Cancun.

However, former World No. 1 Navratilova has shared her mixed prediction about Rybakina's success at the WTA Finals, saying that while she can be "solid", there are still some "fluctuations in her game" that could cause her problems.

"It’s a bit of a dilemma. Her game seems steady and consistent, but her results have not been consistent. She’s more unpredictable than I think she should be, given her game. She’s pretty solid technically but still has high fluctuations in the quality of her game," Navratilova said.

Nevertheless, the 67-year-old went on to praise the Kazakhstani player Elena Rybakina and added that it could help her to be more emotional on the court.

"She still goes up and down too much. When she becomes more consistent day in and day out, watch out. On any given day, her serve is such a big weapon. She’s still a work in progress, still trying to find her way. And maybe she tries so hard to be unemotional that it gets in the way. Let it out," she added.

Despite winning Wimbledon last year, 2023 marks the first time that Rybakina has qualified for the WTA Finals. This is because she didn't earn any points for her Grand Slam victory due to the fact that the grasscourt major had banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from the tournament that year.