Elena Rybakina Becomes First Player From Kazakhstan To Win A Major Title At Wimbledon

For Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, the Wimbledon final was very nice.

The 23-year-old who was born in Moscow became the first player from Kazakhstan to win a Grand Slam singles title when she came from one set down to upset world No. 3 Ons Jabeur, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the ladies final on Saturday. She has represented Kazakhstan since 2018 after Russia deemed she wasn’t good enough to be a contender at the top of the women’s game. Her victory comes after Wimbledon banned Russian and Belarusian players from the tournament after the invasion of Ukraine.

It was just the third title of her career after winning smaller tournaments at Hobart (2020) and Bucharest (2019). Before winning Wimbledon, she had only been to the quarterfinals of one other Grand Slam, at the French Open in 2021.

“I was super nervous before the match, during the match and I’m honestly happy that it finished to be honest because really I never felt something like this,” Rybakina said. “I just want to say big thanks to the crowd for the support, it was unbelievable.

“But also I want to congratulate Ons for the great match and everything you achieved, it’s amazing. I think you’re inspirational not only for the young children but for everybody. You have an amazing game and I don’t think we have someone like this on tour. It’s just a joy to play against you.”

She will take home $2.5 million along with the trophy, while Jabeur, the first Arab woman to reach a major singles final, earned $1.3 million.

Ranked No. 23 in the world, she won’t gain any points or move up in the rankings because the WTA (and the ATP) are not awarding points after the Russian players were banned.

It was a tournament full of surprises with some familiar names going out early. Serena Williams, the 40-year-old 23-time major champion who returned after not playing singles in a year, lost in the first round.

Both world No. 1 and French Open champion Iga Swiatek, who had won 37 straight matches, and Roland Garros runner-up Coco Gauff, were upset on the same day in the third round.

Jabeur took the first set by breaking Rybakina at love when an unsettled Rybakina smacked a forehand into the net.

But in the second set, Jabeur had trouble holding her own serve while Rybakina became more confident and aggressive, coming to net more often. She saved four break points and held to even the match at one set all.

In the third, Rybakina got a break in the first game with a forehand put-away volley.

She came back from 0-40 to hold serve for 4-2 with a gutsy game that ended with another forehand volley.

She grabbed a double-break with a forehand winner in the next game and then served for the match.

When Jabeur sailed a forehand wide in the next game, it set up match point for Rybakina. On the next point, she won the title when Jabeur hit a backhand return wide.

“I want to congratulate Elena, she played amazing,” Jabeur said. “Her and her team, great job, she deserved this. And hopefully next time will be mine.”

Rybakina reached the final with a straight-sets win against former world No 1 Simona Halep.

“I honestly didn’t think I was going to be in the second week of a Grand Slam at Wimbledon and then to be the winner it’s just amazing,” she said. “Honestly, I don’t have words to say how happy I am. I wouldn’t be here without my team of course so I want to say a big thanks to my team.”

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated Rybakina Thursday on Twitter.

“Congratulations to Elena Rybakina on her tremendous success at the most prestigious Wimbledon tennis tournament. She made it to the finals!” he wrote.