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Even the Australian Open didn’t think Elena Rybakina would get this far.
Tennis aficionados were left with raised eyebrows when the schedule for the first round of this year’s event was released, with reigning Wimbledon champion Rybakina slated for Court 13.
Granted, it was the same court she commenced her Australian Open campaign on last year, but that was before her breakthrough at SW19, which also came out of the blue to many given her middling form in the lead-up.
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Her grass court events heading into that tournament saw second-round losses in both Rosmalen and Eastbourne.
Rybakina’s title run at Wimbledon was scintillating, dropping just two sets en route to the trophy, including the opener to Ons Jabeur in the deciding match before rebounding brilliantly.
That Rybakina’s win at Wimbledon came at just 23 years of age is ironic given she was somewhat of a late-bloomer when it came to tennis.
Russian-born, Rybakina initially took part in both gymnastics and ice skating before being told she was too tall to be a professional, which was when her father suggested a move to tennis at the age of six.
Even then, Rybakina practiced in group format until her late-teens in 2018.
It was at that time Rybakina was made an offer from Kazakhstan, which saw her accept and change her citizenship – a move that would prove crucial given Wimbledon banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in the tournament last year.
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Already world No.3 in the ITF rankings, private coaching and a move to Kazakhstan saw her WTA ranking surge.
Ranked as low as world No.454 at the start of 2018, Rybakina finished the year inside the top 200 and then launched herself into the world’s top 50 by the close of 2019, courtesy of two WTA titles.
Even at world No.25 heading into this year’s event, Rybakina is still somewhat underrated.
Her Wimbledon win resulted in a life-changing paycheque, but her ranking didn’t follow suit given the event was stripped of points following its ban of Russian and Belarusian players.
Add those points to the mix and Rybakina would be sitting inside the top 10.
Not that a high seeding is a necessity for Rybakina, who has taken out four seeded players including world No.1 Iga Swiatek en route to the final in Melbourne.
She is now on the brink of completing the same double Ash Barty did – a Wimbledon title into Melbourne Park glory.
From here, the ceiling is incredibly high for the 23-year-old.
“I do think though at 23, if she does get through this match, I mean, she has a good chance (to win the tournament),” former world No.4 Jelena Dokic said on Channel Nine during Rybakina’s straight sets semi-final win over Victoria Azarenka.
“It will be her second grand slam out of her last three so she’s starting to dominate on to the big stage.
“I see someone that is a multiple grand slam champion, maybe five, six slams. I definitely see more than two. It will depend on the injuries. But if she stays healthy, definitely. I see her dominating together with Iga Swiatek over the next five to eight years, no doubt about that.
“I actually think she‘s even getting better. I think her game she has things to work on and is still working on, but her weapons are so well produced. I love what I’m seeing.”
Former Australian Open champion Jim Courier agreed, adding: “Why I also think there‘ll be consistency and longevity in her career is she is technically so sound, the grips, the swings, every single shot.
“There‘s really not much to change out there, just little additions – maybe adding the slice to her game, coming forward. Yes, I see someone that’s going to win a lot.”
Plenty of wins are yet to come for Rybakina.
After this tournament, however, they will no longer go under the radar.
And she won’t be back on Court 13.
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