Serena and Venus Williams retain record after Elena Rybakina's failed Wimbledon title defence

Serena and Venus Williams maintain record after Elena Rybakina fails to defend Wimbledon title.

Elena Rybakina's loss in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon against Ons Jabeur meant that the Kazakh player could not defend the title she was one of the main favorites for. Rybakina entered as the third seed and is known for her powerful serve and strong forehand, which make her a formidable player on grass.

The world No. 3's defeat came at the hands of Jabeur, her opponent in the 2022 Wimbledon final. Jabeur has shown outstanding form at SW19 and is now in the final, aiming for her first Grand Slam title. Rybakina had a 7-6, 4-2 lead but failed to capitalize on it and lost in three sets.

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With this result, Rybakina was unable to successfully defend her title, a feat that has only been achieved by two players in Wimbledon history: Serena Williams and Venus Williams. The successful sisters have enjoyed some of their greatest successes at SW19, amassing a combined total of 12 titles and 18 finals.

Furthermore, four Wimbledon finals were contested between the Williams sisters, with Serena winning three and Venus winning one. Venus successfully defended her title twice, winning in 2000 and 2001, and then again in 2007 and 2008, the latter being the only Wimbledon final she defeated her sister Serena in.

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As for Serena Williams, she defended the trophy by winning in 2002 and 2003, then in 2009 and 2010, and finally in 2015 and 2016.

Rybakina did not arrive at Wimbledon in the best shape, as she had to withdraw from the Eastbourne Open the previous week due to physical issues. She admitted at the start of the tournament that she was not at her 100%.

Despite this, Rybakina showcased some of her best skills and defeated Shelby Rogers, Alize Cornet, Katie Boulter, and Beatriz Haddad Maia before succumbing to a flawless Jabeur.

Mario Boccardi

@marioboc17

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Female players able to successfully defend a Wimbledon singles title since 2000 • Venus Williams • Serena Williams

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