Elena Rybakina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Elena Rybakina

Rybakina at the 2025 Washington Open
Full name	Elena Andreyevna Rybakina
Native name	Елена Андреевна Рыбакина
Country (sports)	Kazakhstan (2018–)  Russia (2014–2018)
Residence	Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Born	(1999-06-17) 17 June 1999 (age 26) Moscow, Russia
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Turned pro	2014
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach	Stefano Vukov (2019–2024, 2025–)
Prize money	US$27,163,149 14th in all-time rankings
Singles
Career record	399–163 (71%)
Career titles	12
Highest ranking	No. 3 (12 June 2023)
Current ranking	No. 3 (2 February 2026)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	W (2026)
French Open	QF (2021, 2024)
Wimbledon	W (2022)
US Open	4R (2025)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	W (2025)
Olympic Games	SF – 4th (2021)
Doubles
Career record	54–51 (51.43%)
Career titles	0
Highest ranking	No. 48 (18 October 2021)
Current ranking	No. 269 (8 December 2025)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	3R (2023)
French Open	QF (2021)
Wimbledon	1R (2021)
US Open	1R (2019)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open	1R (2021)
US Open	1R (2025)
Team competitions
BJK Cup	QF (2025)

Elena Andreyevna Rybakina is a professional tennis player. She was born on June 17, 1999. Elena represents Kazakhstan in her matches. She is currently ranked as world No. 3 in women's singles.

Elena has won 12 singles titles on the WTA Tour. These include two major championships: the 2022 Wimbledon Championships and the 2026 Australian Open. She also won the 2025 WTA Finals. Elena is the first player from Kazakhstan to win a major title. She was also the first to reach the top 10 in the world rankings.

Elena started her career playing for Russia. She switched to representing Kazakhstan in 2018. She became well-known in 2020 by reaching five finals. After winning Wimbledon in 2022, she reached the Australian Open final in 2023. Later that year, she became world No. 3. In 2025, she won the WTA Finals. Her 2026 Australian Open win helped her return to world No. 3.

Elena is known for her powerful serve. She hits strong shots from the back of the court. Her playing style is very aggressive.

Elena Rybakina: A Tennis Champion

Early Life and Tennis Beginnings

Elena Rybakina was born in Moscow, Russia, on June 17, 1999. Her parents are Andrey Rybakin and Ekaterina. She started playing sports at a very young age with her older sister, Anna. Elena first focused on gymnastics and ice skating.

However, she was told she was too tall for these sports professionally. Her father, who loved tennis, suggested she try it instead. Elena began playing tennis when she was six years old.

She trained at famous clubs in Moscow. She worked with experienced coaches. Elena did not have a personal coach until she was a junior. She practiced in groups and balanced tennis with school.

Junior Career Highlights

Rybakina (right) and Whitney Osuigwe at the 2017 ITF Junior Masters

Elena was once ranked world No. 3 as a junior player. She started playing on the ITF Junior Circuit in 2013. In 2014, she won her first junior title. She played in her first major junior tournament, the US Open, in 2015.

In 2017, her last year as a junior, she won a big title. This was the Trofeo Bonfiglio, where she beat Iga Świątek in the final. She also reached the semifinals of the Australian Open and French Open.

Turning Professional: Early Years

Elena started her professional career on the ITF Women's Circuit in 2014. She was only fifteen. By 2017, she had won two doubles titles. She also made her debut on the WTA Tour that year.

In 2018, Elena won her first WTA Tour match. She even beat world No. 7, Caroline Garcia. This helped her ranking jump significantly. In March, she won her first professional singles title.

Later in 2018, Elena became a citizen of Kazakhstan. She switched to representing Kazakhstan in tennis. The Kazakhstan Tennis Federation offered her financial support. This helped her continue her professional career.

Rybakina at the 2019 French Open

In 2019, Elena started playing more on the WTA Tour. She won three more ITF titles. She made her Grand Slam debut at the French Open. In July, she won her first WTA Tour title at the Bucharest Open. This win helped her enter the top 100 rankings. By the end of 2019, she was ranked No. 37.

Grand Slam Success: Wimbledon and Australian Open

Elena had a fantastic 2020 season. She reached five finals, more than any other player. She won her second WTA title at the Hobart International. She also reached two Premier finals. These achievements helped her enter the top 20 rankings. She was the first Kazakhstani player to do so.

2021 French Open Quarterfinals

Rybakina at the 2021 French Open

In 2021, Elena reached the quarterfinals of the French Open. She did this without losing a single set. She even defeated tennis legend Serena Williams. She also reached the doubles quarterfinals at the same event.

Elena also competed in the Olympic Games. She reached the semifinals, finishing in fourth place. By November 2021, she was ranked world No. 14. This made her the highest-ranked Kazakhstani player ever.

2022 Wimbledon Victory

Rybakina with the Venus Rosewater Dish at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships

The 2022 season was a huge year for Elena. She started by reaching the final of the Adelaide International 1. At the Wimbledon Championships, she made history. She reached her first major semifinal. She then beat Simona Halep to reach her first major final.

In the final, she faced Ons Jabeur. Elena won the match in three sets. This made her the Wimbledon champion. She was the youngest women's champion since 2011. Elena's background became a topic of discussion because of rules about players from Russia and Belarus at Wimbledon that year.

2023 Australian Open Final and World No. 3

Rybakina at the 2023 US Open

Elena continued her success into 2023. At the Australian Open, she reached her second Grand Slam final. She defeated world No. 1 Iga Świątek and former champions. In a tough final, she lost to Aryna Sabalenka.

After this, Elena entered the top 10 rankings. She became the first Kazakhstani player to achieve this. She then won her first WTA 1000 title at Indian Wells. She beat Iga Świątek and Aryna Sabalenka in the process. She also won the Italian Open, another WTA 1000 title. By June 2023, she reached a career-high ranking of world No. 3.

2024 Season: Three WTA 500 Titles

In 2024, Elena won three WTA 500 titles. She started by winning the Brisbane International. She then won the Abu Dhabi Open and the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. She reached the quarterfinals of the French Open. She also made it to the semifinals of Wimbledon.

2025 WTA Finals Champion

Rybakina at the 2025 French Open

Elena had a strong 2025 season. She won her first title of the year at the Internationaux de Strasbourg. She also reached the fourth round of the French Open.

Rybakina at the 2025 DC Open

Later in the year, she won the Ningbo Open. This helped her qualify for the WTA Finals. At the WTA Finals in Riyadh, she had an amazing run. She defeated top players to reach the final. In the final, she beat world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. This secured her first WTA Finals title. She finished the season as world No. 5.

2026 Australian Open Title

Elena started 2026 by winning her second major title. At the Australian Open, she reached the quarterfinals. She then defeated world No. 2 Iga Świątek and Jessica Pegula. This set up a final rematch against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Elena won the final in three sets. This victory brought her back to the world No. 3 ranking.

Playing Style: Power and Precision

Rybakina serving at the 2024 Brisbane International

Elena Rybakina is known for her powerful tennis game. She is an aggressive player who tries to win points quickly. Her game involves hitting many winners. She can hit the ball with great power on both her forehand and backhand.

Her serve is especially strong. It can reach speeds of up to 127 miles per hour. She often hits many aces in her matches. In 2025, she hit over 500 aces, a remarkable achievement. Despite her height, she moves well around the court. Elena is known for her calm attitude during matches.

Coaches and Training

Elena hired Andrei Chesnokov as her first individual coach in 2018. He had coached her before at the Spartak Tennis Club. In 2019, she started working with Stefano Vukov. He was her first coach who traveled with her to tournaments. Under Vukov's guidance, Elena's ranking improved quickly.

In November 2024, Elena announced Goran Ivanišević as her new coach. They worked together until the 2025 Australian Open. In January 2025, Vukov returned as an additional coach. Later that year, Davide Sanguinetti also joined her coaching team. Vukov returned to coaching Elena in August 2025.

Exciting Rivalries on Court

Elena has developed exciting rivalries with other top players. These matches are often very competitive.

Against Aryna Sabalenka

Elena has a notable rivalry with Aryna Sabalenka. They have played each other 15 times. Sabalenka leads their head-to-head record 8–7. Both players are known for their aggressive style. This makes their matches fast-paced and intense.

They met in the 2023 Australian Open final. Sabalenka won that match in three sets. Elena later beat Sabalenka at the 2023 Indian Wells Open. She also defeated her in the 2025 WTA Finals to win the title. Most recently, Elena beat Sabalenka in the 2026 Australian Open final.

Against Iga Świątek

Elena also has a strong rivalry with Iga Świątek. They have played 12 times, with their record tied at 6–6. Their matches are always exciting. This is because of their different playing styles and high rankings. Elena defeated Świątek at the 2025 WTA Finals. She also beat her in the 2026 Australian Open quarterfinals.

Off-Court Activities and Endorsements

Rybakina on a 2023 stamp of Kazakhstan

Elena is sponsored by several companies. She uses Yonex for her clothing and shoes. She also uses a Yonex VCore 100 racket. From 2023 to 2025, she was sponsored by Red Bull.

In 2023, Elena became an ambassador for Bank RBK. She also donated money to help young female tennis players in Kazakhstan.

Career Achievements and Statistics

Grand Slam Performance

Elena has achieved great success in Grand Slam tournaments. The tables below show her performance.

Doubles Performance

Note: Rybakina switched federations from Russian to Kazakhstani in June 2018.

Major Finals

Elena has played in several major finals. She has won two Grand Slam singles titles. She also won the WTA Finals once.

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	2022	Wimbledon	Grass	Ons Jabeur	3–6, 6–2, 6–2
Loss	2023	Australian Open	Hard	Aryna Sabalenka	6–4, 3–6, 4–6
Win	2026	Australian Open	Hard	Aryna Sabalenka	6–4, 4–6, 6–4

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	2025	WTA Finals	Hard (i)	Aryna Sabalenka	6–3, 7–6(7–0)

Awards and Recognition

Elena has received several awards for her achievements.

• Order of Friendship (Kazakhstan) II degree – 2022
• Order of Barys (Kazakhstan) III degree – 2025'

See also

In Spanish: Yelena Rybákina para niños