World no. 3, Elena Rybakina, five years ago had stood at a crossroads in her life, as she approached the final days of high school. With an impressive junior career taking her to the third spot in world rankings, she still faced a difficult choice on whether to pursue the world of professional tennis or not. This was due to financial constraints and a lack of support from her home country, Russia.
However, an unexpected offer from the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation (KTF) came up. It presented an enticing opportunity for financial assistance and support in exchange for representing the country and the federation. The rest has been history ever since. When Rybakina lifted her first Grand Slam trophy at Wimbledon 2022, she became the only Kazakh to do so.
Recognizing the support she received during her formative years, Rybakina is determined to make a lasting impact on the future of tennis in Kazakhstan. One of her philanthropic initiatives involves organizing a prestigious tournament with scholarships from her, that would provide motivation to young athletes to excel and pursue the sport.
Elena Rybakina on helping young tennis players in Kazakhstan:
“The ideal thing would be to organize a tournament or establish scholarships for young athletes, because I received a lot of support in Kazakhstan. Now it’s my turn to help form a new generation.” pic.twitter.com/BYThkfFR4M
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 26, 2023
Of course she received a lot of support in Kazakhstan, that’s the reason she changed her citizenship 😂
— marycharlotte (@marycharlottepl) July 26, 2023
She has good intentions, but what can she do? It can be seen that the tennis authorities in Kazakhstan are focused on quick success by sponsoring talented Russian athletes, not Kazakh ones.
— lasu (@lasuelao15) July 27, 2023
C’mon! From you Moscow home…?!?!
— C.Escu_Bucur (@Med_Intex_Bucur) July 26, 2023
Much to the ire of her erstwhile country Russia where she still has a home, the success of Rybakina has pushed tennis into the limelight in Kazakhstan.
Having her roots in Russia and doing acts of benevolence to nurture tennis in Kazakhstan has sparked outrage from Russian tennis fans. It has evoked mixed feelings from the Russian public, which feels that she is trying to have the best of both worlds while forgetting her own roots.
What is next for Elena Rybakina?
After losing in the Wimbledon quarter-finals to Ons Jabeur, Elena Rybakina, the defending champion, took some well-deserved time off to recharge her batteries. She was seen holidaying in Porto Cervo, a serene seaside resort in northern Sardinia, Italy.
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Now, fully rejuvenated, Rybakina embarks on her preparations for the North American hard-court swing, a series of WTA tournaments leading up to the prestigious US Open. Her upcoming major tournaments include the National Bank Open in Montreal and Toronto, Canada, and the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
As fans eagerly await her return, they want to witness the towering Kazakh’s powerful stroke play once again on the grand stage of tennis. She is definitely looking forward to making an impressive return in the upcoming tournaments.