Elena Rybakina was a guest on the latest episode of the Red Bull's Mind Set Win Podcast, talking about her tennis career.
The career of Elena Rybakina has had an interesting trajectory. Her talent was never in question but she didn't have a rapid rise to the top of tennis. It was a lot of minor steps towards becoming one of the best players in the world.
That's where she is right now, a constant threat to win any event she plays in, including the Grand Slams. She played in two finals so far, winning Wimbledon last year and losing to Aryna Sabalenka in Melbourne earlier this year.
A signature of Rybakina is her demeanour, which is pretty calm compared to other tennis players. She's not a rock and shows emotions occasionally, but for the most part, her reactions are pretty tame compared to other players. It's not by chance; it's by design, as she explained in a recent episode of Red Bull's Mind Set Win podcast.
It’s maybe confusing the opponent sometimes. I’m trying not to show emotions no matter the situation, to be calm and not show if I’m upset or angry. This is something that worked especially well in the beginning when no one knows you and you’re coming all calm on the court, but then you’re playing really well. “I think now it also helps me.”
It's an interesting approach, and while not known, it's pretty rare among the younger generation. One thing so many people praise about young tennis players is how raw they seem during a tennis match. Whether it's celebrations, anger, or shouting, it's much more raw compared to what we used to see in tennis.
Rybakina is different but it works for her and that's all that matters. Winning might not be important but it's the only thing that counts.
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