A scorching begin to the season and a primary large claycourt triumph on the Italian Open final week has many satisfied that Elena Rybakina could possibly be poised to shed the “one-slam wonder” tag on the French Open.
The 23-year-old might have loved a component of excellent fortune in Rome with Anhelina Kalinina’s retirement from the ultimate following the harm withdrawals of Iga Swiatek and Anna Kalinskaya in earlier rounds.
She was, maybe, due a little bit of luck after the COVID pandemic halted her first cost in direction of the highest 10 in 2020 and her Wimbledon title final 12 months earned her zero rankings factors due to the ban on Russian and Belarusian gamers.
The Moscow-born Kazakh has actually earned her place among the many Roland Garros favourites this season, ending runner-up on the Australian Open, profitable the title at Indian Wells and reaching the ultimate on the Miami Open.
“I’m proud that I can maintain this level,” the world No.4 stated after including the Rome title to her haul.
“It’s not easy with all the scheduling, travelling. I think we’re doing a good job with the team. I can see improvements on the court, physically also. I think we’re on the right path.”
Rybakina actually has the instruments to be a a number of grand slam champion, with a rocket of a serve, heavy groundstrokes and a calmness underneath strain that units her other than a lot of her rivals.
Quiet and unassuming on and off court docket, Rybakina clearly places plenty of thought into her sport and how one can enhance it.
Her success in Italy, she stated, was the results of lastly getting sufficient time on clay to adapt her aggressive sport to the slower floor.
“I always felt that I could play good on clay but it was either not enough time to prepare and when I was a kid I wasn’t spending that much time on clay,” she advised the WTA web site.
“So it was a bit strange because I feel like I can play good, but it wasn’t the results that I wanted, or still I wasn’t that confident.
“Now, I feel it is simply expertise and higher preparation that I’ve. I can have good outcomes.”
Already a proven performer on grass and hard courts, Rybakina’s Italian Open triumph marked her out as a threat on any surface the tour throws at her, even if she has never been past the quarter-finals at Roland Garros.
She rarely gets through an interview without mentioning the importance of maintaining her health and it was the grind of the grand slam fortnight that was her first thought when asked about her French Open chances.
“The match is fairly lengthy,” she added in Rome.
“I imply, hopefully I can go far at French Open. I’ve good reminiscences enjoying there. Now I’ve had extra matches on clay, so it is a bit simpler and a bit extra confidence positively.”
For Rybakina to break through on the red dirt, though, someone must stop two-time champion Iga Swiatek.
The Pole dispensed any notion that she is primarily a claycourt specialist when she claimed her third gland slam title at last year’s US Open.
But there is no disputing the red dirt is the perfect companion to her multi-faceted game and even less debate that Roland Garros remains her favourite playground.
Swiatek, who turns 22 throughout the first week of the French Open, is the raging favorite for a 3rd title in 4 years in Paris after dropping just one set in 2022.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
