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$19,144,617 28th in all-time rankings
Singles
Career record	384–162 (70.33%)
Career titles	11
Highest ranking	No. 3 (12 June 2023)
Current ranking	No. 6 (28 October 2025)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	F (2023)
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	52–50 (50.98%)
Career titles	0
Highest ranking	No. 48 (18 October 2021)
Current ranking	No. 271 (18 August 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	QR (2022), record 6–3

Elena Rybakina (born on 17 June 1999) is a talented professional tennis player. She was born in Russia but now represents Kazakhstan. Elena reached a career-high ranking of world No. 3 in women's singles. This made her the first player from Kazakhstan to enter the top 10. She is currently the top-ranked Kazakhstani player.

Elena made history by winning the 2022 Wimbledon Championships. This was her first major title. She has won 11 singles titles on the WTA Tour. These include the 2025 WTA Finals and two big WTA 1000 events. She won at the 2023 Indian Wells Open and the 2023 Italian Open.

As a junior player, Elena was ranked as high as No. 3 in the world. She started playing for Kazakhstan in June 2018. This was when she was just entering the top 200 players. Elena is known for her powerful serve and strong groundstrokes. She plays mostly from the back of the court.

Elena Rybakina's Early Life and Tennis Start

Elena Rybakina was born in Moscow, Russia, on 17 June 1999. Her parents are Andrey and Ekaterina Rybakin. From a young age, Elena and her older sister, Anna, enjoyed sports. They first tried gymnastics and ice skating.

However, Elena 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.

Training and School Life

Elena trained at the Spartak Tennis Club in Moscow. She worked with several experienced coaches there. These included former top players like Andrey Chesnokov. For a long time, Elena trained in groups, not with a personal coach. She practiced tennis for about two hours daily. She also spent three hours on fitness training.

Elena attended a regular high school. This meant she had to balance her tennis practice with her schoolwork. She did not have a private coach until she was 18.

Junior Tennis Career Highlights

Elena was once the world's No. 3 junior tennis player. She started playing on the ITF Junior Circuit in November 2013. She was 14 years old at the time. In March 2014, she won her first junior title.

Grand Slam Junior Appearances

Elena played in her first junior Grand Slam at the US Open. She reached the third round there. In 2017, her last year as a junior, she won her only Grade-A title. This was at the Trofeo Bonfiglio, where she beat Iga Świątek in the final.

She also did well in junior Grand Slams that year. She reached the semifinals of both the Australian Open and the French Open.

Elena Rybakina's Professional Journey

Elena started her professional career on the ITF Women's Circuit in December 2014. She was 15 years old. In 2017, she made her debut on the WTA Tour at the Kremlin Cup.

First Wins and Federation Change (2018)

In February 2018, Elena won her first WTA Tour match. This was at the St. Petersburg Trophy. She even surprised the world No. 7 player, Caroline Garcia. This helped her ranking jump from No. 450 to No. 268. In March, she won her first ITF singles title.

In June 2018, Elena changed her nationality to Kazakhstani. The Kazakhstan Tennis Federation offered her financial support. This helped her continue her tennis career. She was 19 years old when she made this important switch.

Breaking Through: First Tour Title (2019)

Elena played mostly ITF events in early 2019. 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. She was 20 years old.

This win helped her enter the top 100 in the WTA rankings. Later that year, she reached another WTA final. She also made it to the quarterfinals of a big event, the Wuhan Open. There, she defeated world No. 6, Simona Halep. Elena finished 2019 ranked No. 37.

A Strong Season and Top 20 Debut (2020)

Elena had a fantastic start to 2020. She reached the finals in four of her first five tournaments. She won her second WTA title at the Hobart International. At the Australian Open, she won her first Grand Slam matches.

She reached two more big finals in Dubai and St. Petersburg. These results pushed her into the world's top 20. She became the first Kazakhstani player ever to reach this high ranking. The tour then paused for several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

French Open Quarterfinals and Olympics (2021)

Elena continued her strong play in 2021. She reached the quarterfinals of the French Open. She did this without losing a single set. She even beat tennis legend Serena Williams along the way.

She also competed in the Tokyo Olympics. She reached the semifinals there. She finished in fourth place, a great achievement for her country. By November 2021, she reached a new career-high ranking of world No. 14.

Wimbledon Champion! (2022)

Elena started 2022 by reaching the final of the Adelaide International 1. Her biggest moment came at the Wimbledon Championships. She reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal there. Then she made it to the semifinals, a first for any Kazakhstani singles player.

She went on to win her first major title, defeating Ons Jabeur in the final. Elena became the youngest Wimbledon champion since 2011. This victory was a huge milestone for her and for Kazakhstan.

Reaching World No. 3 (2023)

Elena had another amazing year in 2023. She reached the final of the Australian Open. This made her the first Kazakhstani woman to reach the quarterfinals at this major. She beat world No. 1 Iga Świątek and former champion Victoria Azarenka.

She then won her first WTA 1000 title at Indian Wells. She beat Aryna Sabalenka in the final. She also won the Italian Open, another WTA 1000 event. These wins helped her reach a career-high ranking of world No. 3.

Three WTA 500 Titles (2024)

In 2024, Elena started strong by winning the Brisbane International. She defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the final. She also won the Abu Dhabi Open in February. In April, she secured her third title of the season at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. She beat Iga Świątek and Marta Kostyuk.

She reached the quarterfinals at the French Open. Later in the year, she faced some challenges with illnesses and injuries. She had to withdraw from the Paris Olympics and the US Open.

WTA Finals Champion (2025)

Elena began 2025 by playing in the 2025 United Cup and the Australian Open. She reached the fourth round in Australia. She also reached several quarterfinals and semifinals at WTA 1000 events.

In May, she won her first title in over a year at the Internationaux de Strasbourg. She then reached the fourth round of the 2025 French Open. Later in the season, she had strong performances in North America. She reached the semifinals at the DC Open and the Canadian Open.

At the Cincinnati Open, she defeated world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. She reached the semifinals there. At the 2025 US Open, she made it to the fourth round for the first time. Her biggest win of the year came at the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh. She defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the final to win her first WTA Finals title.

Elena Rybakina's Playing Style

Elena Rybakina serving at the US Open in 2022

Elena Rybakina hitting a backhand

Elena Rybakina is known for her powerful and aggressive style of play. She likes to finish points quickly. Her game involves hitting the ball hard from the back of the court.

Powerful Serve and Groundstrokes

Her serve is incredibly 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.

Both her forehand and backhand shots are hit flat and with great power. This allows her to hit many winners. Despite her height, she moves well around the court. Elena is also known for her calm attitude during matches. She believes she can win against any opponent.

Coaches Who Guided Elena Rybakina

Elena hired her first individual coach, Andrei Chesnokov, in 2018. He had trained her before at the Spartak Tennis Club. In February 2019, Elena started working with Stefano Vukov. He was her first coach who traveled with her to tournaments.

Under Vukov's guidance, Elena's ranking improved very quickly. She went from outside the top 200 to inside the top 30 in about a year. In November 2024, she announced Goran Ivanišević as her new coach. They worked together until the 2025 Australian Open. In January 2025, Vukov returned to her coaching team. She also worked with Italian coach Davide Sanguinetti for a period.

Key Rivalries in Elena Rybakina's Career

Elena Rybakina has developed exciting rivalries with other top players on the WTA Tour.

Battles with Aryna Sabalenka

Her matches against Aryna Sabalenka are always thrilling. They have played each other 14 times, with Sabalenka leading 8–6. Both players hit the ball very hard, making their matches fast and intense. Elena won a big match against Sabalenka at the 2023 Indian Wells Open. She also defeated Sabalenka in the final of the 2025 WTA Finals to win the title.

Contests with Iga Świątek

Elena also has a strong rivalry with Iga Świątek. They have met 11 times, with Świątek leading 6–5. Their different playing styles make their matches very interesting to watch. Elena beat Świątek at the 2025 WTA Finals.

Matches Against Jasmine Paolini

Another notable rivalry is with Jasmine Paolini. They have played six times, with the score tied at 3–3. Paolini's most important win against Elena was at the 2024 French Open quarterfinals. This win helped Paolini reach her first Grand Slam semifinal.

Endorsements and Contributions

Elena Rybakina on a 2023 stamp of Kazakhstan

Elena Rybakina is sponsored by Yonex for her clothing and shoes. She uses a Yonex VCore 100 racket. In January 2023, she started working with Bank RBK.

In March 2023, Elena showed her generosity. She donated ₸35 million (Kazakhstani tenge) to help young female tennis players in Kazakhstan.

Career Statistics

Grand Slam Tournament Performance

Singles Records

Doubles Records

Grand Slam Tournament Finals

Singles: 2 (1 Title, 1 Runner-up)

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

Year-End Championships (WTA Finals)

Singles: 1 (1 Title)

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

Awards and Honors

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

See also

In Spanish: Yelena Rybákina para niños