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In a decisive performance on Thursday, Elena Rybakina defeated former Wimbledon champion Simona Halep 6-3, 6-3 to advance to her first Grand Slam championship match. Halep was in the sights of Rybakina, who pounded her Romanian opponent with piercing serves and vicious forehands.
Halep struggled with her serve in the opening game and was broken twice. The Romanian, who had not lost a set in the previous five rounds of the competition, displayed flashes of inspiration, but unforced errors kept holding her back.
Meanwhile, Rybakina played consistently throughout almost the entire game. Apart from breaking once in the second set, she dominated from the baseline and controlled play with her strong groundstrokes and serve.
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Elena Rybakina, a Moscow-born athlete, changed her nationality to Kazakhstan in 2018 to access more generous aid. She is now in the final round of the same competition from which Russian and Belarusian competitors were barred after the invasion of Ukraine.
Also Check Out :- Wimbledon 2022 Results
Tennis fans on Twitter congratulated the Kazakh on her spectacular achievement whilst others criticized the grasscourt Major for banning Russian and Belarussian players and now having a player from Moscow as their finalist.
"And in the final hour, when all hope seemed lost, Rybakina saved the Universe," one fan wrote.
"Much to the discomfort of the organisers, Moscow born Elena Rybakina has made it through to the Wimbledon ladies singles final. Congratulations young lady," another user tweeted.
"Didn't see this coming but Rybakina beats Halep in 2 sets to face Jaebur in the Wimbledon final. But image Elena Rybakina who is born in Russia but is representing Kazakhstan could win Wimbledon in where the organisers ban Russian and Belarusian players. They gonna be sweating," another account posted.
"The one thing you didn’t want, is the one thing you’re getting, Wimbledon. Every tennis outlet is mentioning the fact that Elena Rybakina was born in Moscow and competed for Russia under 2018. Banning the Russians was NEVER the solution, ya know?" one user wrote.
"It's going to be a great match; Her drop shots are tricky"- Elena Rybakina ahead of her clash with Ons Jabeur
Rybakina will square off against Ons Jabeur in the final. Both the 17th-seeded Rybakina and third-seeded Jabeur are first-time Grand Slam finalists. In her on-court interview, the 23-year-old spared a few words for her next rival and said she is looking forward to enjoying the encounter.
"It's going to be a great match against Jabeur. Her drop shots are tricky but I'm going to enjoy it and have fun on court," Rybakina said. "I was nervous but I think the matches before helped on Court One. Today when the full crowd were cheering I was nervous but I'm very happy to win. Today I was mentally prepared and I did everything I could."
Jabeur won her semifinal encounter against Tatjana Maria in three sets to set up a Wimbledon final that will guarantee a new Grand Slam champion on Saturday.
