Rybakina’s Bold Strategy Leads to WTA Finals Victory
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Entering the tournament not at her peak, Elena Rybakina opted for an aggressive first-strike strategy. Despite dealing with a sore right shoulder, she grew increasingly confident as she advanced through the WTA Finals, ultimately facing World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the finals without altering her approach.
“It seems she decided to just step in and take her shots without hesitation,” Sabalenka noted. “She showed a bit more bravery than I did today.” Rybakina emerged victorious with a score of 6-3, 7-6 (0), concluding the tournament with an impressive 5-0 record and earning $5,235,000 in prize money.
This victory marked Rybakina’s 11th consecutive win, a streak that began after losing to Sabalenka in Wuhan, China. With an 8-6 record against top-ranked players, she also became the first to defeat both Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek multiple times at WTA events.
Rybakina’s serve was a crucial factor, following her 15 aces against Jessica Pegula in the semifinals with 13 against Sabalenka, while saving all five break points. She excelled with nearly 77 percent success on her first-serve points. “In crucial moments, my serve was spot on, even when she was challenging me,” Rybakina remarked.
While Sabalenka is known for her power, Rybakina consistently produced quicker groundstrokes, applying pressure on Sabalenka with off-balance shots and self-talk. Even before the pivotal tiebreak, Rybakina made a significant statement by saving two set points while trailing 4-5 in the second set.
Reflecting on her performance, Rybakina attributed her success to lowered expectations due to her tiredness and jet lag. “I wasn’t putting too much pressure on myself. The serve became our main focus because I knew I’d need to play aggressively from the outset,” she explained, emphasizing her dominant approach throughout the tournament.
Looking ahead, Rybakina is determined to carry her recent success into future tournaments, stating, “This experience motivates me to work even harder for next season. I’ve gained vital insights from each match, especially from those against top players.” Planning some downtime in Europe before returning to Dubai, she added that she looks forward to some rest and time with family.
