Elena Rybakina was reportedly thinking about ending her career just months before her impressive Wimbledon triumph. Rybakina, 23, put up a stunning run at this past Wimbledon to win her maiden Grand Slam title. In an interview with Russian media Sport Express Russia, Rybakina’s father revealed the Wimbledon champion was battling doubts earlier this year.
“Now she is definitely not going to quit tennis, although she had such moments six months ago,” Andrei Rybakin told Sport Express Russia.
Rybakina felt her hard work wasn’t paying off
Rybakina started the season by finishing runner-up to Ashleigh Barty in the Adelaide International final.
Rybakina then hit a rough stretch as she was playing inconsistent and exiting tournaments early. Rybakina didn’t impress at the start of the grass season either as she reached the ‘s-Hertogenbosch last-16 before losing her Eastbourne opener.
Rybakina arrived to Wimbledon with a 1-2 grass record in 2022 and wasn’t really considered among top favorites for the title. “Many tennis players go through this,” Rybakina’s father explained. “It happens that you put maximum efforts, but there is no pay-off.
Even just before Wimbledon, it was like that.” By winning Wimbledon, Rybakina proved to herself that she has the quality to win Grand Slams. “Maybe I proved that not always you have to have great team from the young age, because I didn’t ’til the age of 17, 18.
So I think this is the most important thing, that everybody, no matter their financial situation, no matter who they are, they can play and achieve many great results. And to myself that I can actually win a Grand Slam. Believe more in myself, and maybe I can win more Grand Slams. Who knows? But for sure that’s the goal, and that’s what I’m going to work for,” Rybakina explained.
