Rybakina is the Wimbledon Women’s Singles champion
Wimbledon 2022 Women’s Singles Final
Elena Rybakina(23), 17th seed, born in Moscow, became the first player from Kazakhstan to win a Grand Slam title by beating Tunisian third seed Ons Jabeur in the Wimbledon Women’s Singles final. Rybakina’s victory comes in a year when Wimbledon banned Russians and Belarusians from playing amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Rybakina who changed allegiance in 2018 after receiving greater financial support from Kazakhstan, was presented with the Venus Rosewater Dish by the Duchess of Cambridge who has publicly supported Ukraine’s defence.
After a shaky first set Rybakina fought back improving and pressurising Jabeur into errors.
Rybakina clinched her victory using her height and power with her first match point when Jabeur hit a backhand wide. Going into the final Rybakina had dropped only one set during the Wimbledon fortnight when she fought back to beat Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in the quarter-finals. Jabeur full of variety and slice settled the quickest to break Rybakina’s service twice and race away with the opening set. Rybakina only settled down and the contest suddenly took a change of direction at the start of the second set. A loose service game from Jabeur was seized upon by Rybakina who had begun to rediscover the level that got her to the final. Rybakina backed up the break for a 2-0 lead and while she had to continue working hard for her holds, moved a double break ahead at 4-1 as the errors started creeping into Jabeur’s shots. After cornering the second set, Rybakina broke again at the start of the decider as tension mounted again in the sixth game which almost swung momentum back to world number two Jabeur. After a 0-40 lead, Jabeur thought she had landed the second of three break points with a clipped forehand but the line-calling technology said it was out. Rybakina fought back to hold and then broke in the seventh game to leave her serving for the championship. Jabeur led 15-30 but sprayed a forehand wide to bring up championship point, which Rybakinga took when Jabeur hit a backhand wide.
After sharing a warm hug with Jabeur at the net, Rybakina received a respectful round of applause before then running to hug her team.
“Words can’t say how happy I am,” she said.