Elena Rybakina

Elena Rybakina became the first player from Kazakhstan to win a Grand Slam title on Saturday as she fought back to beat Ons Jabeur in her Wimbledon final on ...

Maybe later when I'm alone in the room, I'm going to cry non-stop. "I didn't know what to do, it was shocking. Rybakina, who switched allegiances to Kazakhstan in 2018, is renowned for not celebrating victories and simply raised her right arm in the air when she won. "When I was giving the speech I was thinking, I'm going to cry right now, but somehow I held it. And sure enough, fans on social media also praised the newest star of the women's game. The Moscow-born star started the tournament seeded 17th, but produced the form of her life at SW19, beating Simona Halep in her semi-final before conquering Jabeur.

Elena Rybakina secured her first Grand Slam title by beating Ons Jabeur 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the Wimbledon women's singles final, but her nationality was.

It is sort of strange because of this whole ordeal of not allowing the Russians to play.” “I just think it’s weird because of this whole thing. The new Wimbledon champion is youngest player to win the women’s singles since 2011, and is the first to win a final after losing the first set since 2006.

Elena Rybakina was too shocked to celebrate after defeating Ons Jabeur to give her adopted country of Kazakhstan a first grand slam title at Wimbledon.

Jabeur has embraced her position as a role model for a whole region, and she said: “It’s really amazing to see a lot of fans, not just from Tunisia but from the Arab world. “I didn’t know what to do,” said Rybakina. “It was shocking. The president of the Kazakh tennis federation cheered her on enthusiastically from the stands, and Rybakina said: “He came to watch and support me from the semis. I don’t know what’s going to happen. It was amazing to get the trophy from her.” He was always on the phone through the weeks, through the matches, supporting me.

The president of the Russian Tennis Federation was quick to claim Elena Rybakina as “our product” on her run to the women's title at Wimbledon.

The Kazakhstan Tennis Federation stepped in with an offer — represent them in exchange for the cash needed to support the global lifestyle of a tennis player. President Tokayev said in front of Putin at a televised conference in St. Petersburg last month that Kazakhstan would not recognize the two Russia-backed separatist governments in eastern Ukraine. When Rybakina — nervous, barely smiling, seemingly not quite sure what she had achieved — climbed into the stands at Centre Court on Saturday to celebrate with her team, she embraced first KTF president Bulat Utemuratov, then Yaroslava Shvedova, the former player who has become her mentor. Moscow-born Sofia Kenin, who left Russia as a baby and plays for the United States, won the Australian Open in 2020. Rybakina, known for the big serve which has brought a tour-leading 253 aces this year, made the switch at 19 when her career stalled because of financial issues. “It’s the Russian school, after all.