Rybakina is a Moscow-born 23-year-old who has represented Kazakhstan since 2018, when the country offered her funding to support her tennis career. The change was the subject of debate during Wimbledon because the All England Club banned all players representing Russia or Belarus from entering the tournament due to the war in Ukraine. Rybakina is ranked No. 23. Since the WTA computer rankings began in 1975, only one woman ranked lower than Rybakina has won Wimbledon — Venus Williams in 2007 at No. 31, though she was No. 1 and she had already won three of her five career Wimbledon trophies. This was the first women’s title match since 1962 at Wimbledon between two players making their major final debut. Rybakina used her long serve and powerful forehand to overcome Jabeur’s combination of spins and slices on Center Court. Rybakina ended No. 2-ranked Jabeur’s 12-game winning streak, which has come entirely on grass courts. Rybakina showed her best strokes right away: a big serve – she leads the tour in aces in 2022 by a wide margin – and a flat forehand. There were flashes of both in the opening game, including a 119 mph service winner at the opening point of the match. WATCHES | Elena Rybakina wins 1st Grand Slam title:
Elena Rybakina wins Wimbledon Women’s Singles, 1st Grand Slam title
The 23-year-old won the match against Ons Jabeur 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. With the win, she became the first player representing Kazakhstan to win a Grand Slam singles championship. It didn’t take long for Jabeur, the 27-year-old from Tunisia, to adapt. By Rybakina’s second service game, Jabeur was reading serves better and using her trademark variety to create less attractive opportunities for baseline power. A squash-style forehand hit a forehand into the net to earn a break point, which Jabeur converted for a 2-1 lead by putting a 120mph serve into play and then watching Rybakina sail a backhand. Jabber turned to her guest box, jumped up and yelled. Rybakina’s errors increased. A volley into the net with the whole court wide open. A netted forehand after Jabeur just hit a short return. When another forehand went awry, Jabeur broke at love to take the opening set and threw an uppercut as she sidestepped. However, this would not be an unexpected victory. Rybakina stabilized and her serve became more effective. Jabeur began to struggle to use all her creativity. As Jabeur’s forehand became increasingly problematic, Rybakina worked her serve and groundstrokes in the second and third sets. Rybakina, who beat Serena Williams at last year’s French Open, finally won her first break chance to start the second set and was up 1-0 when Jabeur missed a forehand. After saving four break points in her next two service games, Rybakina broke again and soon led 5-1. Jabeur leads the women’s tour with 13 wins in three sets this season, but Rybakina came out much stronger in the qualifier this time around. He broke once again to start the third and went up 3-1. Jabeur had to find a way to limit her mistakes. On the forehand side alone, he dropped 15 points — 10 via unforced errors, five via unforced errors.
Strong service game
Jabeur appeared to be giving herself a chance to really turn things around while falling behind 3-2 in the third. She brought up a pair of points won via drop shot and lob at love-40 on Rybakina’s serve. But Rybakina erased that trio of break points and took the game, aided by a couple of 119 mph serves. That hold made it 4-2 and Rybakina quickly broke again. She was now just one game away from the biggest win of her career – and she had to serve it up. When a last serve brought a missed spin from Jabeur’s racket, Rybakina appeared to sigh, before smiling. Shortly after, she climbed the front row wall to make the trip through the stands for celebratory hugs with her team.
