Rybakina’s 2024 Season Ends with Win over World No. 1

Kazakh tennis player Elena Rybakina has ended her 2024 season on a high note, beating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka at the WTA finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, even though she wasn’t able to advance to the semifinals of the yearend event. Moscow-born Rybakina, who is ranked fifth in the world, defeated the Belarusian star 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 in the elite tournament’s Purple Group on Wednesday after losing her first two matches to Jasmine Paolini of Italy and Zheng Qinwen of China. "I think today I served really well, and especially in the third set," Rybakina said, according to the WTA. It was her second win over Sabalenka this season. "But of course, overall, I know that I'm not at my best, and if I would have maybe more weeks and some other matches, but with all the circumstances, I'm really happy overall how I played this this tournament," said Rybakina, who struggled with physical issues in the second half of the season after a strong start. This year, Rybakina also split with coach Stefano Vukov, with whom she had considerable success, including the 2022 Wimbledon title, despite concerns among commentators about his intense, critical style. Next year, she plans to work with Goran Ivanisevic, the former coach of Novak Djokovic. "I'm really looking forward to this partnership," Rybakina said. "I think he's a great champion and he has so much experience.”

Tennis World No. 4 Rybakina Wins Third Tournament of Year in Stuttgart

Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina is leading in 2024 tennis titles - three so far - after a comfortable victory over Marta Kostyuk in the Stuttgart final on Sunday. Rybakina, who has also won titles in Brisbane and Abu Dhabi this year, has now won a tour-leading 26 matches this season. That’s one more than world No. 1, Iga Swiatek of Poland. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated Rybakina on his Instagram page. “The first racket of Kazakhstan has won three titles this season. This is a great success,” Tokayev said. “I wish our Elena new sporting achievements.” Rybakina, 24, was born in Moscow and secured citizenship in Kazakhstan in 2017 after the tennis federation there offered generous support for her career. Rybakina won Wimbledon in 2022 and was runner-up at the Australian Open last year. Ranked No. 4 in the world, Rybakina was in command throughout her 6-2, 6-2 win over No. 27, Kostyuk of Ukraine. "I always believe in myself, of course, but it not only depends on me," Rybakina said. "There are a lot of great players, tough opponents. But I know if I feel fresh, if I'm physically ready, healthy, I'm playing my game, of course I have all the chances to win a Grand Slam on any surface.”