Wimbledon champion Rybakina was stranded in hotel room with virus for days after Roland Garros: "I still think that I'm not 100%"

Losing to Donna Vekic at the Bett1 Open Berlin this past week, Elena Rybakina has not had the ideal preparation for Wimbledon in many ways.

The defending champion will play Eastbourne International this week aiming for matches and getting back towards 100%.

After withdrawing from Roland Garros with illness, she not only saw the heartbreak of losing her chance to win the French Open but also her hotel walls for days.

“It’s been tough actually,” Rybakina said. “At the French Open after I withdrew I went back to the hotel and it was even worse so I had to stay in Paris for a few days not leaving the room.”

“I started my preparation week after just slowly starting and it was tough since it was a virus.

“So I still think that I’m not 100 per cent physically where I want to be but slowly it’s getting better and hopefully I can get some more matches here and feel more comfortable at Wimbledon.”

But ahead of her title defence, she not only has to get used to getting back to 100% but also the favourite tag.

“It’s the first time and it’s a new challenge for me to come as a defending champion and everybody saying like I’m kind of the favourite so it is different,” she continued.

“But the goals are the same and I’m trying just to really enjoy and having all this experience from last year to actually help me to perform this year so yeah, the goals are the same it’s just maybe a different attitude a bit to the tournament.”