Elena Rybakina Details the Physical Toll of the Season After Sealing her WTA Finals Semi-final Berth

Elena Rybakina continued her terrific form at the WTA Finals, winning her third round robin match against Ekaterina Alexandrova in Riyadh. The former Wimbledon champion faced Alexandrova after Madison Keys withdrew from the tournament hours before the clash citing health concerns.

Rybakina opened her WTA Finals campaign with a statement victory against Amanda Anisimova. It was her first meeting with the US Open runner-up and she defeated her in straight sets. She then went on to face 2023 champion Iga Swiatek in the second round robin match and ended her four-match losing streak against the Polish star.

The Kazakhstani came from a set down to beat Swiatek, clinching her place in the semi-finals of the prestigious season-ending tournament. The 26-year-old then faced Alexandrova in the third match on Wednesday (November 5) at the WTA Finals. Rybakina wasted no time, controlling proceedings in the tie.

The first set offered a glimpse of Alexandrova’s excellent forehand shots, but Rybakina was up to the task, breaking her twice in the entire match to claim a 6-4, 6-4 victory and finish top of the Serena Williams Group. Meanwhile, she was the last player in the women’s circuit to qualify for the tournament, which forced her to compete in several tournaments ahead of the tournament.

In fact, Rybakina had to win the Ningbo Open and reach the semi-finals of the Tokyo Open, just a week before the WTA Finals. During her interview with Tennis Channel, she revealed that the push for a place at the tournament has taken a physical toll on her. The World No.6 added that her season has been a long one:

Of course, I’m a little bit tired, but I think everybody feels the same. The season has been long, but everyone is going to try to push no matter what. It’s really the last few matches left, so you try your best. When you get this far into the season, recovery becomes just as important as the tennis itself. I’m just trying to stay healthy, recover well, and do my best in the next one.

This season, one of the major discussions has been the hectic schedule on tour. The tour calendar has become longer than the previous years, which has forced players to complain about the schedule. The likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Swiatek have been vocal about playing in too many tournaments in a year.

Elena Rybakina explains why she needs everything to be perfect in a match

Elena Rybakina didn’t have the best start to the 2025 season as she struggled to deal with her coaching problems. That affected her game on the court and saw her suffer early defeats in tournaments. But, since the return of Stefano Vukov in her team, the Strasbourg Open champion has begun to show her best form on the court.

She’s unbeaten in nine matches on tour this season and carried the winning streak against Ekaterina Alexandrova in the final round robin match at the WTA Finals. During the aforementioned interview, Rybakina revealed that everything matters to her on the court, especially her movement:

For me, it’s important — of course — the timing and the toss. If the toss is even a little bit wrong, then the whole movement doesn’t really work. I try to push with the legs, not only with the arm, and when everything comes together, it’s perfect.

Rybakina is expected to face Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals of the WTA Finals. Pegula finished second in the Steffi Graf Group, having lost only one match. She defeated American star Coco Gauff and Jasmine Paolini to secure her place in the last four of the prestigious tournament.

Also Read: Alex de Minaur ‘Brutally’ Mocks Jannik Sinner’s Skills Despite Never Winning Match Against Him

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