In the absence of Russian and Belarusian players, deprived of Wimbledon in reaction to the invasion of Ukraine, she went after her dream.

This final had however started badly, the Tunisian, world number 2, taking the first set 6-3 without shaking the least in the world.

But the 23rd player in the world, who has been walking her insurance for two weeks on the courts of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, was able to reverse the trend and pocket the last two sets 6-2, 6-2.

Back from injury and health problems that hampered her preparation on the grass, she confided during the London fortnight that she had nothing to lose and that she approached Wimbledon "more relaxed".

Her slackness on the field successively got the better of Coco Vandeweghe, Bianca Andreescu (winner of the US Open 2019), then Qinwen Zheng, Petra Martic, Ajla Tomljanovic, the only player to have taken a set from her before Jabeur on Saturday in the final, and Simona Halep, 2019 winner, in the semi-finals.

"I think I have a game to go far in the Grand Slam tournaments. And I believe that one day I will win one," proclaimed the one who offers her adopted country a first success in one of the four major tournaments. of the circuit.

"I have a gift"

Rybakina started tennis in clubs in Moscow and was even trained by one of the pioneers of the discipline in the USSR, Andrey Chesnokov, before becoming world No.3 among juniors.

Kazakh Elena Rybakina during her victorious final at Wimbledon, July 9, 2022 SEBASTIEN BOZON AFP

But as she was starting to make a name for herself on the circuit, she took Kazakh nationality in 2018, attracted by the financial support of the local federation chaired by the wealthy Bulat Utemuratov (3.5 billion dollars in personal fortune, according to Forbes magazine).

"I've been playing for Kazakhstan for a long time. I'm really happy to represent this country," she said after her semi-final success against Halep.

And she was careful to remember that she trains in Slovakia and Dubai when she's not competing in tournaments.

"I don't live anywhere," she even had to insist in the face of somewhat too insistent questions from British journalists about her Russian origins.

Its large size (1m84) makes its service a formidable weapon.

"I have a gift", she said after her victory in the round of 16 against Martic on Court N.1, where one of her serves was flashed at 196 km / h.

In the six matches that took her to the final, Rybakina served 49 aces and her first serve percentage was 51%.

"I never compare myself to anyone else. I know I have this gift. I'm tall and I play really fast. Effortless. Without having to work in the gym. It's my weapon, so I try to use it as much as possible," says Rybakina.

Not an isolated case

She is not the only Kazakh on the international circuit to have Russian origins.

Yulia Putintseva, currently 33rd in the world, quarter-finalist at Roland-Garros in 2016 and 2018, then at the US Open 2020, was also born in Moscow.

Kazakh Elena Rybakina serving during her victorious final at Wimbledon, July 9, 2022 SEBASTIEN BOZON AFP

Ditto on the men's circuit: the three best Kazakhs, Alexander Bublik (38th) - who reached the third round of Wimbledon for the first time this year -, Mikhail Kukushkin (164th) and Dmitry Popko (195th), were all born in Russia .

Kukushkin, 34, 164th in the world, is also one of the first to have taken Kazakh nationality, in 2008: "At that time I was around 150th in the world and I was struggling, he explained. Unfortunately in Russia nobody was interested in me. Kazakhstan came and gave me everything I needed."

With this victory for Rybakina at Wimbledon, a new country has entered its name on the world tennis charts.

What may inspire other Russian athletes who are deprived of competition until further notice, whether in tennis or other sports, due to the war in Ukraine.

© 2022 AFP