"I've heard it’s a great city": Elena Rybakina surprises journalist with friendly airport talk during WTA Finals

Elena Rybakina has long been characterized by her unwavering composure on the court, rarely displaying strong emotions. Her calm style has earned her the nickname "Ice Queen," a demeanor reflected both during matches and in her usual press conferences.

The 2022 Wimbledon champion was measured even after winning the title at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, securing the most important title of her career since her Wimbledon run. She claimed her 12th career title, earned a prize of $5.25 million—the highest in the history of women's sports—and finished the year ranked World No. 5.

Chinese journalist Wenqiang Shan shared his experience on Weibo after running into Rybakina at the airport. Far from the stoic persona the Kazakh projects in front of cameras, she had a friendly meeting with the journalist, leading Shan to defend the kindness of the recent Riyadh champion.

While the journalist was preparing to fly back to China from Riyadh (midway through the WTA Finals Round Robin), he casually encountered Rybakina, who started asking him questions about where he lived. Upon hearing he was from Shanghai, Rybakina continued the conversation.

"I haven't been there yet, but I've heard it’s a great city," Rybakina commented to the journalist. "Actually, my sister just went to Shanghai a few days ago. She has some friends there, so she went recently."

"You mean Anna?" Shan asked. "I remember Anna even started a Weibo account, a bit before you did."

"Yes, we figured that out together. Since you need a text-message verification to register, she probably used her friend's number in Shanghai."

According to the journalist's post on his Weibo account (the Chinese equivalent of Facebook), Rybakina was clearly smiling when talking about her sister. The former Wimbledon champion has shared photos on social media several times with her sister, Anna, during various trips.

Back in 2023 during the French Open, Elena Rybakina spoke about the importance of her relationship with her sister and acknowledged that Anna had been key to her rise in tennis.

"I think she's actually helping a lot, because [tennis], it's still a job," she said during Indian Wells. "You practice all days, kind of the same routine. With her, if I go back to the room or we go to dinner, we can talk about something else, not only tennis."

"She's very positive. Also a lot of energy from her. So it's just nice that we are able to spend time together. And, yeah, I think she's also helping, especially if you have a bad day or something, she's the one always positive. So it's good."

Rybakina further explained how her sister brings a sense of normalcy and home life to the demanding tennis tour.

"We always have something to do," Rybakina había ocmenetado previamente durante Indian Well. "We stayed at a house this time. She was cooking a lot. I maybe tried to help once or twice but not often. We just talk a lot because I didn't see her in the last few years at all and it's nice to chat. Also if she has time she talks to my parents and she comes back with news from back home. It's always good time to spend with her."

The new World No. 5 will now enjoy some time off before preparing once again for the next season, with the Australian Open surely being the major goal to kick off 2026.