Elena Rybakina Aims for Career Grand Slam with Focus on Roland Garros

Rybakina's Grand Slam journey began in 2022 when she secured her first title at Wimbledon. This year, she triumphed at both the Australian Open and the US Open. Achieving the world number one ranking has made winning Roland Garros her top priority, which would further solidify her standing among the greatest tennis players in history. While clay courts are typically not her favorite surface, she acknowledges her talent and believes she can improve her performance on clay to reach this goal.

Reflecting on her first tournament as the top player, Rybakina mentioned how quickly her recent achievements have come. "I love China. For now, I have only been training. I haven’t gone out much, as it has been a very tough few months: a lot of tennis and a lot of energy spent. I needed to recover, stay a bit at home, and rest. Now I’m here, giving it my all. I hope I can perform well again," she stated.

After traveling extensively, she returned to Kazakhstan for a brief respite and fulfilled several commitments. Unfortunately, some engagements, such as sports clinics with children, were not achievable. On her recent season, she expressed satisfaction: "I had very pleasant moments at home, resting and relaxing. So yes, it has been a good season."

Regarding her future aspirations, Rybakina clarified, "During the US Open, I said that it would be great to win Roland Garros; that would mean adding four Grand Slams. Now I am number 1, which is great. But the season is not over yet. I would like to keep pushing and finish as number 1. In the end, who knows what will happen. There are many good players, many tough rivals. Everything can change. That is the goal for now."

On what has driven her success this season, she attributed it to hard work—not only her own but also that of her team. Rybakina also addressed her physical condition after an injury, noting, "Since I was resting, my foot has improved a bit. Now that I’m back on the court, I still feel some discomfort here and there. Again, I try to push myself to the maximum and see how far I can go in this tournament. Mentally, I think I’m better now. I’m ready."

Addressing recent changes in her life, Rybakina remarked, "I think everyone realizes that it has been a very tough and intense few weeks; it shows on my face with allergies and everything that is happening to me constantly. I continue with the same routines and doing the same things. Actually, nothing has changed."

Finally, as she navigates her new status as number one, Rybakina commented, "I have no idea. I just arrived at number 1. I think the most important thing is to enjoy. It’s not always easy; that’s why I have people around me. Sometimes I can feel down or up. It’s important to enjoy. Today was the first training where I thought: 'Okay, I feel my foot a bit.' Maybe it's not the best feeling to have physical discomfort. I really enjoy training, and that is the most important thing. I love competing. I don’t know what it’s like to be number 1. I don’t know."