Kate from the press desk is a really helpful person, if a journalist wants a transcript of a press conference, which is done at this Australian Open as in all other three Grand Slam tournaments, she kindly says: “Sure, by which professional?” She immediately goes to the printer in the corner, but then it usually takes a while. There is a lot of questioning and a lot of talking here. When Kate comes back with Elena Rybakina’s transcripts, only a few seconds have passed. She only holds three pages in her hand.
In fact, Rybakina had already given four press conferences. Kate explains that there are no transcripts of the 23-year-old’s first press conference. The four-minute conversation was only made available as an audio recording on the Media Hub, the Internet information portal to which all reporters have access. Transcripts show: At the second press conference, Rybakina was asked four questions. In the third eleven, and this Sunday, a new record for her: incredible 14. One can state: The reporters of the Australian Open have now discovered the current Wimbledon winner. And also the organizers. The game against Swiatek actually took place in the Rod Laver Arena, the main stadium, although in this case one thing was significant: Swiatek and Rybakina won three Grand Slam titles together in 2022, but even that was not a reason for tournament boss Craig Tiley enough to put the two in the best shop window and schedule their duel as a night session, as an evening game. They played from 12.30 p.m. in the warm midday sun.
The case of Elena Rybakina, which probably has to be repeated because she has been flying under the radar since her triumph, was a very unique story last summer. Almost secretly, as if she had put on Frodo’s invisible ring, she marched round after round through the tableau at the All England Club in Wimbledon. When the powerful, powerful unknown suddenly found herself in the final against the Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who had won hearts in London as the self-declared Minister of Happiness, everyone was shocked. Who is she? And then, both before and after the finale, it was largely about one thing: her origins.
Her first game against Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto took place on the outlying Court 13
Rybakina was born and raised in Moscow, her parents live there. While all Russian and Belarusian professionals were banned from Wimbledon 2022 due to Russia’s war against Ukraine, that didn’t affect Rybakina. She has been competing for Kazakhstan since 2018, she had hoped for better funding and more support, which she received there. She still had to justify herself somehow, and it was quite bizarre how when she had defeated Jabeur with her magnificent blows she was on the verge of tears – because she was being bullied so much because of her origins.
Rybakina hasn’t had particularly great results since her victory at Church Road in July, being knocked out at the US Open by French qualifier Clara Burel. She hardly made any jumps in the world rankings either, at Wimbledon she was unlucky that she won the event at which, due to the war, no world ranking points were awarded. She went to this Australian Open as number 25, and of course everyone in the tennis business has known since July 2022 at the latest: She is better than this number and she is the Wimbledon winner.
Her first game against the Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto took place on Court 13, on such a remote place with only a few spectator seats a Wimbledon winner had probably never played her opening game at a Grand Slam. A tweet by an American journalist drew attention to this demotion for the first time, huge outrage everywhere, the only one who apparently stayed cool was: Rybakina. She has said several times, after her further victories against the Slovenian Kaja Juvan, the American Danielle Collins (last year’s finalist of the Australian Open) and now against Iga Swiatek, the number one in the world rankings, that she really doesn’t care where she plays. As long as she wins. She smiled as she said that each time.
July 9, 2022: Elena Rybakina surprises the tennis world by beating Tunisian Ons Jabeur in the Wimbledon final. After that she fell into oblivion again.
(Photo: Simon Stacpoole/Offside Sports Photography/Imago)
Her bulldozer-like 6-4, 6-4 win over Swiatek of Poland on Sunday has undoubtedly put her back in position as a title contender, and the amazing thing is that the starting length is vaguely reminiscent of Wimbledon: everyone is wondering about Rybakina, who for her part, seems to be amazed at everyone, as they are amazed at her. “I would say every lap there are more and more people here,” she said amused, “the attention is growing.” It sounded like: She knows the game. Her conclusion: “It is now largely a matter of staying mentally strong.”
If you think back to how she withstood the final pressure in Wimbledon, you can guess: Rybakina will certainly also be in the quarterfinals against Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, who surprisingly defeated the young, talented American Coco Gauff 7:5, 6:3, have their nerves under control.
The fact that Rybakina’s life after the victory in Wimbledon, after all the most important tournament, went on much the same as before, she is obviously quite right. “In the end, I’m just here to play tennis,” she said, and with the mischievous grin she gave, you can believe her.