Top tennis tip: if you’re going to win just one tournament in a calendar year, make it a big one. Better still, make it the biggest of all.
Elena Rybakina did just that in 2022, and 12 months on she’s back at Wimbledon defending her title.
“It’s like yesterday for me,” said the Kazakh, glowing at the recollection of defeating Ons Jabeur in the match for the ladies’ singles title.
“The best memory I think is just the final, for sure, getting the trophy, the ceremony. Then we managed to stay maybe just one hour with the whole team to celebrate. It was amazing.”
Rybakina, who turned 24 a few days ago, is thrilled at the thought that her first match back at the All England Club will, of course, be on Centre Court once again.
Such is the honour traditionally accorded the defending champion on Tuesday, Ladies’ Day.
“It's going to be exciting for me. Coming to the tournament as defending champion is something new, like a new chapter. But the goal is the same. The atmosphere is always really nice on Centre Court. I try to enjoy it and hopefully I'm going to win.”
BBC analyst Annabel Croft tipped Rybakina as a key player to watch last year, and is endorsing her again.
“In 2022 she was under the radar at Wimbledon for many, although I had her as a player to be reckoned with,” says Croft.
“Her massive serve is one of the biggest weapons in the women’s game. On grass there’s less time for opponents to react to it, and her ace count is huge.
“She has a fabulous backhand and plays with power but also touch, so her drop shots are stunning and she volleys beautifully. Defending the title is so difficult but I feel that she is always so relaxed, and that venomous serve of hers will once again make her so tough to beat.”
Rybakina’s preparation has been some way south of perfect, derailed by the virus she contracted in the first week of Roland-Garros.
She felt it was still affecting her during her early defeat to Donna Vekic on the Berlin grass two weeks ago but has her fingers crossed she has now shaken it off.
“It wasn't easy after the French Open,” the No.3 seed explained. “One week I didn't do anything, then slowly started. It's been tough. I think that still it was good preparation but not the amount of hours and work we wanted to put in. But I think I’m ready. The more matches I get on grass, I will feel more confident although first round is not easy always.”
Shelby Rogers, a two-time visitor to the third round here, will be on the other side of the net come Tuesday.
The experienced American has played Rybakina three times on grass previously, and actually won their last encounter at ’S-Hertogenbosch before last year’s Wimbledon.
Still, judging by how The Championships panned out for Rybakina that time, the damage wasn’t too lasting.
Should she successfully repel all challengers over the coming Fortnight, it certainly won’t be her only title of the year.
Her trophy locker for 2023 to date already holds silverware from Indian Wells and Rome, with runner-up mementoes from the Australian Open and Miami to boot.
Alongside Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka, Rybakina is firmly cemented among the ‘Big Three’, between whom the last five Grand Slam titles have been shared.
But nothing is simple. If the draw pans out, the fourth round promises an intriguing joust with Jelena Ostapenko, and beyond that there is a potential repeat of last year’s final against Jabeur in the quarters.
“I don’t feel so much pressure, even though people are talking,” said Rybakina.
“Hopefully my level is going to stay high and it’s going to be normal for me to come and defend the title.”
New this year:
See the draw like never before, with interactive Path to the Final view of the draw by clicking a player’s name on the draws page
See the projected Path to the Final of every player in the Gentlemen’s and Ladies’ singles draws with IBM Likely to Play
View how favourable or difficult a player's draw is, with IBM AI Draw Analysis
