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Elena Rybakina has been creating history for Kazakhstan ever since her Wimbledon glory in 2022. The 23-year-old tennis sensation, who also featured in the final of the 2023 Australian Open, recently added yet another badge of honor by becoming the first player representing the country to win a WTA 1000 title at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
After her latest victory, Moscow-born Elena Rybakina, who switched her allegiance from Russia to Kazakhstan in 2018, expressed her gratitude towards her Kazakh fans for their eternal support and belief in her. She also acknowledged the country’s younger generation who look up to her, and conveyed that “everything is possible.”
“Thank you all for your firm support! My special gratitude to my fans in Kazakhstan, to local kids and teenagers, who are now striving for new wins and gains! Everything is possible,” Elena Rybakina wrote on her social media.
She further thanked her sponsors for having her back.
“And my special thanks to my sponsors @bankrbk, @kazminerals_official, @kazakhmys_official. With your support I can do my best on the court,” she wrote.
Rybakina has been very devoted to her duty of putting the Central Asian country on the tennis map. After her astonishing 2022 Wimbledon title win, the young player announced that she would be donating a portion of her prize money to uplift budding tennis players in Kazakhstan.
"First of all, of course, I would like to help the juniors, most of it (money) will go to them,” the player declared.
Elena Rybakina shifts focus to Miami Open after Indian Wells win
In the Indian Wells semifinals, Elena Rybakina stunned the defending champion and World No. 1 Iga Swiatek before lifting the title against Aryna Sabalenka. The 23-year-old will now look to bank on her momentum and contest yet another of Swiatek’s titles – the Miami Open.
Speaking about her strategy going into the tournament, the Indian Wells champion said that she would be focusing on one match at a time. She also acknowledged her colleague’s stellar 2022 performance, noting that winning the Sunshine Double isn’t an easy task, especially given the vastly different conditions.
"Well, I will try to focus just on every match, because I think that it's really tough. I know Iga did this. Big respect, because I think it's still kind of long trip to Miami. It's completely different conditions," she said.
The World No. 7 further stated that she is hoping to adapt to the humid conditions quickly.
"I know it can be very windy there, very humid. For sure it's something to adapt. Yeah, I will see how it's gonna go, and hopefully I can adapt quickly."
Elena Rybakina has received a bye in the opening round in Miami and will take on the winner of the clash between Anna Kalinskaya and Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva in the second round.
