Elena Rybakina’s crowning moment was again dogged by questions surrounding her Russian roots, leading to the newly crowned Wimbledon champion to break down in tears moments after making history as Kazakhstan’s first ever grand slam winner.
The Moscow-born Rybakina, whose parents still live in her native Russia, came from a set down to defeat Ons Jabeur in the women’s final 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
But in the aftermath, Rybakina, who pledged allegiance to Kazakhstan in 2018 over funding and development, was smothered by questions about links to her place of birth, after the biggest moment in the 23-year-old’s career.
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After she celebrated the historic victory with a low key, routine handshake at the net, which led to Jabeur joking she would have to teach the new champion how to celebrate such a momentous occasion, Rybakina could no longer hold in her emotions during her post-match press conference.
The star had been probed about her nationality in every single media availability throughout her run, dodging questions about how much time she spends in the country, this time around she was asked to condemn Russian president Vladimir Putin and the invasion.
“I didn’t choose where I was born. People believed in me. Kazakhstan supported me so much,” she said.
“Even today I heard so much support. I saw the flags. So I don’t know how to answer these questions.”
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Then she became emotional and wept uncontrollably when asked to describe her parents’ reaction to her grand slam win.
“Probably they’re going to be super proud,” she said as she cried.
“You wanted to see emotion … kept it (in) too long.”
During the media gathering the Wimbledon winner was asked if the Russian government would seek to gain political mileage at home through her victory, to which she responded:
“I don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s always some news, but I cannot do anything about this.
“I’m playing for Kazakhstan a very long time. I represent them on the biggest tournaments, Olympics, which was a dream come true.”
Complicating things for Rybakina is how Russia wasted no time in claiming the winner, with the country’s tennis chief Shamil Tarpischev, lauding her victory as a triumph for Russia, describing the player as “our product”.
“It’s very nice! Well done Rybakina! We win the Wimbledon tournament,” Tarpischev was quoted as saying by Russian news agency, Ria Novosti.
Rybakina opted not to discuss how much time she spends in Moscow, saying she trains in Slovakia and Dubai when not on tour.
“So I don’t live anywhere, to be honest,” she added.
The only crime Rybakina committed was that her triumph came at a tournament where her Russian compatriots were banned following the invasion of Ukraine. The UK government went out of its way to ban Russian and Belarussian players to avoid having a member of the royal family handing over the trophy to a Russian winner.
Yet at the end of the tournament, officials could not avoid the Duchess of Cambridge handing over the Venus Rosewater Dish to a player who was born in Russia and lived there most of her life, even though she officially plays for Kazakhstan.
The moment led to plenty of discourse online with tennis pundits highlighting the awkward situation confronting the All England Club and the UK government in a wider sense.
“No one behind this decision (to ban Russian players) wanted to glorify or see the sight of a Russian player raising the trophy so it could be used as propaganda by Vladimir Putin. It would have been too much to bear,” Jon Wertheim wrote for Sports Illustrated.
“But, in Rybakina, you have a player who was born and raised in Moscow. Her family still lives there. But she was able to play because she received funding from the Kazakhstan federation and changed her nationality.
“As we’ve previously said, we don’t begrudge Rybakina for her decision and the ban was not of her doing, but there was something a little awkward about a player who is Russian in every way except her passport winning Wimbledon. That is not Rybakina’s fault, it’s about the overall decision.
“Throughout the tournament, she has been measured and diplomatic when asked about the situation, likely aware of how politically charged it all was. We can’t help but feel for her, as the flaws of the ban truly came to bear Saturday.”
Tennis reporter Ben Rothenberg agreed: “Obviously very awkward after banning Russians to have a Muscovite leave with the #Wimbledon title, but to my mind, this shows a great Russian failure,” he tweeted.
“Elena Rybakina left Russian tennis because they failed to support and recognise her talent.
“Russia lost today. Kazakhstan won.”
Since the WTA computer rankings began in 1975, just one woman ranked lower than Rybakina has won Wimbledon — Venus Williams in 2007 at No.31, although she had been No.1 and already won three of her five career Wimbledon trophies.
This year’s final was the first Wimbledon women’s final since 1962 between a pair of players both making a debut in a Grand Slam title match, and Rybakina acknowledged being nervous at the start.
When she stepped into the sunshine filling the 100-year-old stadium, she did not wave to the spectators, the way Jabeur did. Instead, Rybakina kept a firm double-grip on the black-and-red straps of the racket bag slung over her shoulders.
And it was Jabeur who played better in the early going, handling Rybakina’s strong serve and groundstrokes to break for a 2-1 edge.
Rybakina’s miscues mounted. A volley into the net tape with the full court wide open. A netted forehand after Jabeur barely got a short return in. When another forehand off Rybakina’s red racket went awry, Jabeur broke at love to take the opening set, yelled “Yalla!” — Arabic for “Let’s go!” — and threw an uppercut as she walked to the sideline.
Jabeur, a 27-year-old from Tunisia, entered on a 12-match winning streak, all on grass courts, and was trying to become the first Arab or African woman to win a Slam singles title in the professional era, which dates to 1968.
“I just try to inspire as many generations as I can,” said Jabeur, who had stored a photo of the Wimbledon women’s singles trophy on her phone for inspiration. “I hope they’re not really disappointed, but I’ll try my best next time.”
By the second set, Rybakina, who beat Serena Williams at last year’s French Open, began showing why she leads the tour in aces in 2022, why, as she put it, “It’s effortless, the power I have.”
Her first break chance finally arrived more than an hour in, and Rybakina converted it to go up 1-0 when Jabeur missed a forehand. After saving four break points over her next two service games, Rybakina broke again and soon led 5-1.
“I didn’t play my best tennis, let’s say, second and third set,” said Jabeur, who leads the women’s tour with 13 victories in three-setters this year. “She started to be more aggressive. I think she stepped in the court much more and put a lot of pressure on me.”
Hitting her flat forehands deep into the court, never quite allowing Jabeur to regain her rhythm, Rybakina broke to begin the third. There was one last crucial moment: Jabeur, who uses as many spins and slices and variety as anyone in the game, parlayed a drop shot and a lob into love-40 on Rybakina’s serve.
But Rybakina took the next five points, aided by a couple of 119 mph serves, to go up 4-2, then quickly broke again.
“Frustrating,” Jabeur said.
Not much later, it was over.
“I didn’t know what to do. It was shocking,” Rybakina said, explaining that she didn’t hear half of what the Duchess of Cambridge told her during the trophy ceremony.
“Maybe one day you will see huge reaction from me,” she said with a smile, but unfortunately not today.”
Rybakina acknowledged afterward she didn’t expect to get to the fortnight’s second week, let alone the final weekend.
Now she is, and forever will be, a Grand Slam champion.
“It’s difficult to describe now how I feel. But for sure, I’m going to remember these two weeks, especially today, forever,” Rybakina said. “I mean, it’s just something I will never forget.”
– with AP
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