Power won flawlessly on Center Court in a final that thrilled the crowd but left the All England Club with the most awkward of conclusions. Elena Rybakina, the Wimbledon champion, is essentially Russian.
Rybakina plays under the Kazakhstan flag after finding funding there that was not available to her in her home country. But she was born in Moscow, where her parents still live.
Whatever the political background, it was a stellar performance and an excellent match between two contrasting opponents. Rybakina ended up becoming the first woman to come back from a set down in the Wimbledon final since Amelie Mauresmo in 2006.
Rybakina is 6 feet tall and hits the ball with luminous power. While Ons Jabeur, her Tunisian opponent, is one of the smallest elite players at 5ft 6in. She makes up for her lack of height with preternatural dexterity and touch.
It was Jabeur who dominated the early stages. She made a superb start, breaking Rybakina’s 122 mph serve twice in the first set. But a slightly sloppy serve from Jabeur at the start of the second set caused a dramatic change in fortunes.
Now Rybakina seems to have relaxed into her game, and what a game she is. Her service movement is slightly reminiscent of Nick Krigios, due to the way she swings back and forth before the swing, and she can block opponents in a similar fashion, hitting lines with eye-watering speed.
Jaber, meanwhile, was getting frustrated. She had opportunities – three break points in the second set, four in the third – but couldn’t grab any of them. And if there was a critical moment, it was when Rybakina fended off a 0-40 situation on her own serve at 3-2 in the decider, coming forward boldly and dictating the game.
Some of Jabeur’s strokes were tasty, but she didn’t always make the right decision on follow-ups. There were several times when she could take the ruthless option of driving the ball straight at her opponent from close range. Instead, she opted for more subtle solutions, such as a lob or a pointed passing shot – and somehow they never made it.
Rybakina hardly rejoiced in the last point. She gave a well-judged acceptance speech when interviewed by Sue Barker, but showed no visible sign of emotion.
“I was so nervous before the game, during the game, and I’m just glad it’s over,” Rybakina said. “I’ve never felt anything like it.” As viewers, however, we would never have guessed.
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