Elena Rybakina has been highlighted by the head of the Kazakh Tennis Federation as a "new icon."
The 24-year-old tennis player is one of the main attractions on the WTA tour, currently ranked No. 3 in the world. She won the 2022 Wimbledon title despite not being one of the top favorites, and since then, she has maintained enough consistency to reach the final of this year's Australian Open and win the Rome Open.
Despite dealing with physical issues, Rybakina is considered one of the favorites for the third Grand Slam of the year. As the defending champion and one of the top grass-court players, her main rivals are Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka, who have been strong competitors throughout 2023.
The head of the Kazakh Tennis Federation has praised their compatriot, highlighting Rybakina's achievements and potential as a rising star in the sport.
“Our best sports person was Gennady Golovkin, the boxer, but now everybody talks only about Elena Rybakina. She’s the new icon & this is a different situation. We’re happy she encourages a new generation of kids to play tennis.”
The World No. 3 withdrew from the WTA 500 Eastbourne Open a week ago before her scheduled debut against Chinese player Wang Xiyu. This raised doubts about the level she would bring to Wimbledon, but she managed to start the tournament on a positive note.
Rybakina had a successful debut in a challenging match against Shelby Rogers, where she had to come from a set down to defeat the American 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. The Kazakh player had a shaky first set but managed to improve in the second and third sets, turning the match around.
In the second round, Rybakina will face the winner of the match between lucky loser Nao Hibino and Alize Cornet. Cornet has had previous success at Wimbledon, as she ended Iga Swiatek's winning streak in 2022 and reached the round of 16.
Head of Kazakhstan Tennis Federarion on Rybakina: “Our best sports person was Gennady Golovkin, the boxer, but now everybody talks only about Elena Rybakina. She’s the new icon & this is a different situation. We’re happy she encourages a new generation of kids to play tennis”❤️
