Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Elena Rybakina

Discover the career path of Elena Rybakina, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Elena Rybakina is a Kazakhstani professional tennis player, formerly representing Russia. She reached a career-high ranking of world No. 3, making her the first Kazakhstani player to break into the top 10 and currently holds the title of Kazakhstani No. 1. Rybakina made history as the first player from Kazakhstan to win a Grand Slam title, securing the 2022 Wimbledon Championships. Her achievements include nine WTA Tour-level singles titles, notably winning two WTA 1000 events at the 2023 Indian Wells Open and the 2023 Italian Open, solidifying her position as a leading figure in women's tennis.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

November 2013: Began Playing on ITF Junior Circuit

In November 2013, at the age of 14, Elena Rybakina began playing on the ITF Junior Circuit.

December 2014: Began Playing on ITF Women's Circuit

In December 2014, at the age of fifteen, Elena Rybakina began playing on the ITF Women's Circuit.

2015: Reached Final at Belgian International Junior Championships

In May 2015, Elena Rybakina reached the final at the Belgian International Junior Championships, marking her first significant achievement in Grade-1 events.

2016: US Open Junior Major Debut

In 2016, Elena Rybakina made her junior-major debut at the US Open, reaching the third round. She also finished runner-up in doubles at the Trofeo Bonfiglio.

October 2017: WTA Tour Debut at Kremlin Cup

In October 2017, Elena Rybakina made her WTA Tour debut at the Kremlin Cup, where she reached the main draw through qualifying but lost in the opening round to Irina-Camelia Begu.

2017: Won Grade-A Title at Trofeo Bonfiglio

In 2017, Elena Rybakina won her first and only Grade-A title at the Trofeo Bonfiglio, defeating Iga Świątek in the final, and reached the semifinals of the Australian Open and French Open junior tournaments.

February 2018: First WTA Tour Match Win

In February 2018, Elena Rybakina won her first WTA Tour match at the St. Petersburg Trophy against Timea Bacsinszky and upset world No. 7, Caroline Garcia. She also won her first ITF singles title in Kazan.

June 2018: Switched Federation to Kazakhstan

In June 2018, Elena Rybakina switched her tennis federation from Russia to Kazakhstan after entering the world's top 200.

2018: First Grand Slam Qualifying Draw

In 2018, playing for Kazakhstan, Elena Rybakina entered her first Grand Slam qualifying draw at the US Open, but did not reach the main draw.

2019: First WTA Tour Title at Bucharest Open

In 2019, Elena Rybakina achieved consistent success on the WTA Tour, including winning her first tour title at the Bucharest Open and debuting in the top 100.

2020: WTA Tour Finals Leader

In 2020, Elena Rybakina led the WTA Tour in finals appearances and reached the final of every tournament except for the Australian Open and the Qatar Ladies Open before the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.

2020: Led WTA Tour with Five Finals

In 2020, Elena Rybakina led the WTA Tour with five finals appearances, showcasing her breakthrough performance on the tour.

November 2021: Debut in Top 15

On November 1, 2021, Elena Rybakina made her debut in the top 15, at world No. 14, becoming the highest ranked Kazakhstani player in history.

2021: Reached Quarterfinals of French Open

In 2021, Elena Rybakina reached the quarterfinals of the French Open in both singles (defeating Serena Williams) and doubles.

January 2022: Adelaide International Final and Career-High Ranking

In January 2022, Elena Rybakina reached the final at the Adelaide International 1 and achieved a career-high ranking of No. 12 on January 17, 2022.

2022: Won 2022 Wimbledon Championships

In 2022, Elena Rybakina achieved a career highlight by winning the Wimbledon Championships.

January 2023: Reached Australian Open Final

In January 2023, Elena Rybakina reached the Australian Open final, becoming the first Kazakhstani woman to reach the quarterfinals and later the final, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka. She also reached the top 10 rankings on January 30, 2023.

March 2023: Donation to Kazakh Tennis Players

In March 2023, Elena Rybakina donated ₸35 million to rising female tennis players in Kazakhstan.

May 2023: Career-High Ranking and Italian Open Success

In May 2023, Elena Rybakina achieved a new career-high ranking of world No. 6 on May 8th. She reached the quarterfinals at the Italian Open and subsequently moved to world No. 5 on May 22nd, winning her first WTA 1000 clay title and achieving a new career-high ranking of world No. 4.

June 2023: Rise to World No. 3

In June 2023, despite a walkover at the French Open due to respiratory illness, Elena Rybakina reached No. 3 in the world rankings on June 12th. On June 26th, she withdrew from the Eastbourne International event due to a viral illness.

2023: Indian Wells Title and Career-High Ranking

In 2023, Elena Rybakina won her first WTA 1000 title at Indian Wells, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final and pushing her singles ranking to a new career-high of world No. 7.

2023: WTA 1000 Victories

In 2023, Elena Rybakina won two WTA 1000 events, including the Indian Wells Open and the Italian Open, further solidifying her position as a top player.

2023: Reached Australian Open Final and World No. 3 Ranking

In the 2023 season, Elena Rybakina reached the Australian Open final, won two WTA 1000 titles, and achieved a world No. 3 ranking.

April 2024: First Final Since April 2024

In April 2024, Elena Rybakina reached her first final since April 2024 at the Internationaux de Strasbourg.

April 2025: Ranking drops after Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers

On April 21, 2025, Elena Rybakina, defending 500 points from her win in Stuttgart the previous year, opted to play in the qualifiers for the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup and dropped to No. 11 in the rankings.