Elena Rybakina with no different feelings after deserved Top 10 breakthrough
WTASaturday, 28 January 2023 at 20:30
Updated at Saturday, 28 January 2023 at 18:47
Beaten Australian Open finalist Elena Rybakina is confident her debut appearance in the WTA Top 10 will bear fruit in future events as she has a game that not many can deal with.
The Kazakh lost a three-set epic to Aryna Sabalenka but her run to the final means she will become the new World No.10 - a career high for the current Wimbledon champion.
And, whilst feeling she failed to be as aggressive as she wanted after taking the first set, explained the benefits gained from being a top tenner will mean she will be spending more time in the later stages of tournaments in 2023.
She told journalists post-match:
"I think Aryna raised her level in the second set. She played really well, aggressive, a bit less mistakes. I should have been also more aggressive in some moments. I had some chances, for sure, to turn it around. But she played really well today. She was strong mentally, physically. I would say that not many girls can put me really under the pressure. Against her, it's not easy because she has a great serve and she plays really aggressive. Her ball is coming very heavy. There is maybe few girls who plays like this."
Having paved her way to her second major final with wins over World No.1 Iga Swiatek, Jelena Ostapenko, and Victoria Azarenka, Rybakina added:
"I don't think I'm going to feel different just because of the ranking. "But for sure it's going to be different at the smaller tournaments, I would say. I'm going to be seeded. Maybe in some tournaments I'm not going to play first round. So of course there is some benefits out of this."
The match was one of real, high, intense quality, with Rybakina still in with a shout right until the last point, forcing a break point when her opponent was serving for the title.
And the 23-year-old explained, after a good winter off-season, she is feeling fitter than ever:
"After a great pre-season like this I was thinking I should show it on the court. Then, of course, the results are going to be there. I think in the end it's just confidence to go forward, to keep on working. I feel now good physically also. I know if I'm going to keep on working, the results are going to be there. That's the goal, to be in the second week of all the Grand Slams, to play finals," Rybakina added.
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