Elena Rybakina Deactivates Instagram Due to Abuse Right After Queen’s Exit: “It Was Too Much”

Elena Rybakina had had enough of the hateful messages she received after her defeat at the Queen’s Club Championships. Rybakina, after saving herself from the brink of an opening-round exit against Tatjana Maria, fell in the quarterfinals.

Home favorite Katie Boulter clinched a three-set win over the first seed, and this saw the Kazakh ace crash out in the early rounds of two back-to-back tournaments. Before starting her grass-court campaign at the Queen’s, Yuliia Starodubtseva beat her in the second round of the French Open.

And after her latest exit, Rybakina just couldn’t deal with all the abusive messages she received on Instagram and decided to deactivate it (she has already reactivated her account). A usually reserved Rybakina had a lot to say about why she decided to deactivate her account when asked by journalist Ben Rothenberg in the pre-tournament press conference in Berlin.

I usually don’t pay much attention (to social media), but this time it was too much. Since it’s our job, we have to post a lot. And I felt that if these people can’t stop just because I lost a match, I’d rather not give them the opportunity to comment.

During the clay swing, Rybakina lifted the Stuttgart Open by defeating Karolina Muchova, winning her fifth title on the surface from her sixth final. But after her win, she lost to Anastasia Potapova in the Madrid Open fourth round and to eventual champion Elina Svitolina in the Italian Open quarterfinal before her French Open exit.

I don’t want to spend the whole day cleaning up my Instagram. I have people helping me, but they’re not on it all the time. I thought it would be better to stay away from social media. For me, it’s fine to stay away from social media.

Elena Rybakina added

In Berlin, Rybakina will face wild card Alexandra Eala or Queen’s Club Championships champion Donna Vekic in the opening round. Rybakina has so far played one grass-court final and won it (the 2022 Wimbledon title she clinched by defeating Ons Jabeur).

Katie Boulter on how she defeated Elena Rybakina

Katie Boulter registered her career’s biggest win in terms of rankings by defeating Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals of the Queen’s Club Championships. The win helped the Brit improve her head-to-head record over the two-time Grand Slam champion to 1-2. During the on-court interview, then, Boulter revealed what helped her upset the reigning Australian Open champion.

Honestly, I’m not really sure what to say, but I really feel like this win definitely goes towards the crowd that got me through it tonight and stayed out here. The atmosphere was absolutely incredible. I just tried to tell myself to keep backing myself and go for it. If you don’t go for it, then you’re going to regret the things that you’ve worked so hard for.

Boulter, however, lost to Donna Vekic in the semifinals. She was scheduled to face countrywoman Harriet Dart in the Nottingham Open first round, but she withdrew from the tournament. The main draw of the Wimbledon Championships starts on June 29. Rybakina lost in the third round last year, losing to Clara Tauson in straight sets.

The 26-year-old has already played three finals this year. Before her Stuttgart Open win, she lost the Indian Wells final to World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka. It was the Belarusian ace who lost to Rybakina in the final of the Australian Open.

Iga Swiatek will enter Wimbledon as the defending champion. She double-bageled Amanda Anisimova last year, winning her career’s sixth Grand Slam title. It was also her career’s first title on grass in her second final on the surface.

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