Elena Rybakina calls Wimbledon’s decision to allow Russian players as the ‘RIGHT THING’

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina concurs with the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian players

Elena Rybakina calls Wimbledon’s decision to allow Russian players as the ‘RIGHT THING’

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Elena Rybakina has finally spoken up in support of Wimbledon’s decision to allow Russian and Belarusian players. The 2022 Wimbledon champion has been challenged time and again about her Russian heritage. Though she is a Kazakh by citizenship, she was born in Moscow, Russia. The world no. 7 changed her allegiance to Kazakhstan when she became a naturalized citizen in 2018.

Rybakina was talking to the press at the Stuttgart Open, where she was asked about what she thinks of Wimbledon lifting the ban. She said, “I think it’s the right thing that they (Russian and Belarusian players) are going to play (Wimbledon) since all tour they have been playing, and they have already restriction.”

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Rybakina rationalized her approval based on Wimbledon’s decision on allowing the players of 2 countries to play as neutral citizens. Rybakina said “It’s no flag, no anything. So I think that it’s good to play for them, and everybody as a player wants to play in the biggest tournaments.” Due to her Russian roots, Rybakina was questioned about if she has faced any hostility as described by Aryna Sabalenka in the locker rooms. To which the 23-year-old said “Well, I didn’t have any experience like that“

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Elena Rybakina had advanced to the Round of 16 of the Porsche Grand Prix Stuttgart Open where she faced Beatriz Haddad Maia yesterday. Unfortunately, she had to retire from the match due to an injury. Ons Jabeur recently in an interview said she awaits a rematch with Elena Rybakina to avenge her Wimbledon defeat at her hands. Ons will have to wait.

Related: Ons Jabeur awaits her REVENGE moment against Elena Rybakina for loss at Wimbledon final

Elena Rybakina’s form has been off the charts

Elena Rybakina's form has been off the charts
Credit: Instagram

Elena Rybakina is a force to reckon with in women’s tennis. She broke through into the Top 50 in 2019 and since then there has been no looking back. She reached her career-high ranking of 7 in 2023 from rank 22 in 2022. Her dream turn-around came in 2022, when she stormed into the Wimbledon finals. She defeated Ons Jabeur in 3 sets, thereby becoming the youngest Wimbledon women’s champion since 21-year-old Petra Kvitova in 2011.

2023 has been even better for her so far. She has already reached the finals of the Australian Open, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka. But to reach the finals Rybakina defeated some stalwarts on the way. She defeated Danielle Collins, current world no. 1 Iga Swiatek, Jelena Ostapenko and Victoria Azarenka.

She also reached her first-ever WTA 1000 finals at Indian Wells after defeating Iga Swiatek for the second time in 2023. And this time, she got the better of Aryna Sabalenka in the finals of Indian Wells. She defeated the Belarusian in straight sets. The winning streak didn’t end here for Rybakina. She reached her second Masters 1000 Final in the very next tournament, the Miami Open. In a very intense battle, she lost the Miami Open title to world no. 10 Petra Kvitova.

It is going to be very exciting to see how the clay season unfolds for this young player. But as said earlier, she is an unstoppable phenomenon currently.

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