Elena Rybakina has established herself as one of women’s tennis most powerful players. Born June 17, 1999, in Moscow, she represents Kazakhstan and has reached as high as world number 3 in the WTA rankings.
She won the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, becoming the first Kazakhstani player to win a Grand Slam singles title. Her game combines exceptional power, a dominant serve, and remarkably calm composure under pressure.
Early Life and Background
Elena was born in Moscow to parents Andrey and Ekaterina Rybakin. She has an older sister named Anna. The sisters grew up participating in sports together from an early age.
Elena and Anna initially focused on gymnastics and ice skating. However, Elena was told she was too tall to pursue those sports professionally. Her father, who loved tennis, suggested she try it instead.
She began playing tennis at age six. The transition from gymnastics and skating to tennis happened naturally, guided by her father’s interest in the sport and recognition that her height could be an advantage rather than limitation.
Family and Upbringing
Elena trained at the Spartak Tennis Club in Moscow, where she worked with several experienced coaches including former top-10 player Andrey Chesnokov and former top-100 player Evgenia Kulikovskaya.
She did not have individual training until age 18, instead practicing in groups of about eight players until age 15, then groups of four players through age 18. This group training approach was typical for young Russian players developing their skills.
She attended regular high school rather than a specialized sports academy, which meant balancing tennis practice with schoolwork. She practiced tennis about two hours daily while spending three hours on fitness training.
Her family supported her tennis development while maintaining normal educational expectations, creating balance between athletic and academic growth.
Junior Tennis Years
She reached a career-high junior ranking of world number 3, showing significant promise at the developmental level. Her junior career included strong performances at Grand Slam tournaments.
The junior years taught her the discipline and work ethic necessary for professional tennis while developing her aggressive baseline style. Group training meant learning to compete constantly, even during practice sessions.
Turning Professional
She turned professional in 2014 at age 15, starting on the ITF Circuit like most young players. The transition from junior to professional tennis required adjusting to stronger competition and the physical demands of adult tennis.
Her WTA debut came at the 2017 Moscow tournament, where she qualified for the main draw but lost in the first round. Early professional years involved primarily ITF tournaments while gradually earning opportunities at WTA events.
In June 2018, she changed her nationality to represent Kazakhstan. The Kazakhstan Tennis Federation offered financial support that enabled her to continue her professional career. This decision at age 19 provided resources necessary for international travel and coaching.
Breakthrough on the Tour
Her first major attention came when she defeated world number 7 Caroline Garcia at the 2018 St. Petersburg tournament. This helped her ranking jump significantly.
She won her first WTA title at the 2019 Bucharest Open, breaking into the top 100 for the first time. That breakthrough victory validated years of development work and confirmed her potential at the highest level.
In 2020, she led the tour with five tournament finals, establishing herself among women’s tennis elite competitors. The consistent final appearances demonstrated she belonged at the top level.
Her career highlight came at 2022 Wimbledon, where she defeated Ons Jabeur 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the final to win her first Grand Slam title. She followed this by reaching the 2023 Australian Open final, proving her Wimbledon success wasn’t a one-time achievement.
Playing Style and Strengths
Her forehand and backhand are both hit flat with relentless depth and speed, generating excellent power. Her serve can reach 127 mph (204 km/h), allowing her to serve large numbers of aces.
She led the tour in ace count in both 2020 with 192 aces and 2025 when she became the first player since Karolína Plíšková to hit over 500 aces in a single season.
WTA coach Adriano Albanesi described her as “a right-handed Petra Kvitová”—a comparison highlighting her powerful, aggressive baseline game. At 6 feet (1.84 meters) tall, her height provides natural leverage for generating power.
She plays with very calm demeanor and believes she can defeat any opponent. This mental composure under pressure has become a trademark of her game.
Life on the Tour
Professional tennis requires constant international travel, adapting to different surfaces, time zones, and conditions. Her consistent performance across all surfaces demonstrates adaptability and professional discipline.
The mental demands of competing at the highest level require managing pressure, expectations, and the isolation that comes with individual sport competition. Her calm on-court demeanor reflects emotional control developed through years of high-pressure situations.
Personal Life
She loves animals and has a beagle dog named Mulia. Beyond this detail, she keeps most personal life information private, focusing public attention on her tennis career.
She has mentioned enjoying spending time with friends and family when at home, though she doesn’t claim to have specific hobbies outside tennis. The demanding tour schedule leaves limited time for interests beyond the sport.
Her tennis idols include Roger Federer and former Belgian player Justine Henin. She admired Henin’s game and Federer’s overall approach to tennis.
There is no publicly confirmed information about romantic relationships or partners. She maintains privacy around personal relationships, keeping focus on professional tennis achievements.
Nationality and Identity
She was born in Moscow and started her career competing for Russia before switching federations to Kazakhstan in 2018. The change came when she was 19, motivated by professional opportunities and financial support from the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation.
She became the first Kazakhstani to win a Grand Slam singles title and the first to be ranked in the world’s top 10. Her success has elevated Kazakhstan’s profile in international tennis.
The nationality change has occasionally drawn attention, particularly during her 2022 Wimbledon victory when Russian and Belarusian players were banned from the tournament. She competes for Kazakhstan and has represented the country with pride and professionalism.
Net Worth and Earnings
According to her official WTA profile, Elena Rybakina has earned over $18 million in career prize money through tournament results at various levels.
Her estimated net worth is approximately $15 million based on career prize earnings, sponsorship deals with Adidas (clothing and shoes), Yonex (racquets), and endorsements with Red Bull, Bank RBK, Kazakhmys Corporation, and Lexus Kazakhstan.
Professional tennis players at her level earn substantial income from both prize money and commercial partnerships. Her Grand Slam success and consistent top-10 ranking make her attractive to sponsors seeking association with elite athletes.
Common Questions Fans Ask
Where is Elena Rybakina from?
She was born in Moscow, Russia, but has represented Kazakhstan since 2018 when she changed federations at age 19 with support from the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation.
When did she turn professional?
She turned professional in 2014 at age 15, starting on the ITF Circuit before gradually progressing to WTA tournaments and achieving her first WTA title in 2019.
What is her playing style?
She plays aggressive baseline tennis with powerful flat groundstrokes on both wings and a dominant serve that can reach 127 mph. Her game emphasizes power, depth, and calm composure under pressure.
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