In a display of powerful tennis that left Center Court gasping, Elena Rybakina reached her first Grand Slam final with a stunning 6-3, 6-3 win over Simona Halep. But now the 23-year-old has caused a headache at Wimbledon.
When the All England Club decided to ban Russian and Belarusian players in April, part of its thinking was to avoid the embarrassment of the Duchess of Cambridge presenting a trophy to a Russian-born player while the war in Ukraine raged.
But on Saturday Rybakina, who was born in Russia and still lives in Moscow despite switching to play for Kazakhstan four years ago, will have every chance of lifting the famous Venus Rosewater Dish. Especially if her game remains as destructive as it was against Halep.
After Rybakina blew her opponent off the court with her incredible serve – which reached 120mph – and her venomous groundstrokes, she also showed good footwork when asked afterwards if she felt Russian at heart.
“What does feeling mean to you?” she replied. “I mean I play tennis so for me I’m enjoying my time here. I feel for the players who couldn’t come here, but I’m just enjoying playing here on the biggest stage, enjoying my time and giving my best,” she added.
Rybakina insisted she was happy to represent Kazakhstan, but again became evasive when asked if she still lived in Moscow. “I think I’m tour-based because I travel every week. I train in Slovakia between tournaments. I had camps in Dubai. So I don’t live anywhere, to be honest.”
These were tough questions for the likeable Rybakina to answer and there was considerable sympathy for her to face them after the biggest win of her career. But the head of the Russian Tennis Federation, Shamil Tarpishchev, was quick to acknowledge the propaganda victory of Rybakina’s deep run, promising that his country would applaud her. “The grass is perfect for Rybakina,” he said. “Serves cool, plays flat, crisp shots. Lena can win Wimbledon. Everything is deserved. It’s wonderful that everything turned out this way, we will roll her up,” he told a Russian website.
What made Rybakina’s win so impressive was that Halep was in her best form of the tournament, conceding a total of 28 games in her five matches, the fewest dropped en route to a Wimbledon semi-final in a decade.
The Romanian has also won 12 straight matches at Wimbledon, including taking the title in 2019 against Serena Williams. But she had no answer to Rybakina’s strength or poise.
Afterward, Rybakina insisted she was nervous. But if it was, she covered it up with the sorcerer’s cunning. She won the first game to love, smashing three huge serves along with a fine drop shot, then broke Halep to take a 2-0 lead. Another easy hold followed and the Kazakh led 3-0 in just eight minutes. The model was set. She was soon set in 37 minutes and sprinted to victory.
If Rybakina’s power wasn’t troubling enough for Halep, she found her own game also starting to creak. Three double faults early in the second set immediately put her on the back burner as she was immediately broken and then trailed 2-0.
Simona Halep (left) and Elena Rybakina shake hands at the net after their semi-final match at Wimbledon. Photo: Robert Prange/Getty Images
The crowd sensed that Halep might go down meekly. But without warning Rybakina suddenly made a terrifying show of service, repeatedly kicking the ball out of court as she was broken to love as the score was brought back to 2-2.
But that was only a moment. Halep was broken again after two more double faults to go down 4-2. Shortly after, another double fault and a backhand error allowed Rybakina to win the match – and become the youngest Wimbledon finalist since Garbine Muguruza in 2015.
Slowly, she allows herself to dream of a Wimbledon final against Ons Jaber, who will be the first African to play in a Grand Slam final. “I remember meeting Ons for the first time when we were playing at the WTA 125K,” she recalls. “She was very kind to help me find the club because she had a car. I think it’s just amazing to think we’re making history.”
The prospect of receiving the trophy from Kate Middleton also entices her. “It’s certainly an honor and I’m going to be very excited for this moment whether I win or lose,” she said.
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“I think it’s just something you have to remember and it’s going to be amazing. Ons is a very good, tough player and I think it will be a great match.”
It was impossible not to be charmed by Rybakina’s happiness and joy – as well as the quality of her tennis. However, behind the scenes and their pristine smiles, the Wimbledon suits are no doubt shifting restlessly.
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