History of Elena Rybakina in Timeline

Elena Rybakina, a Kazakhstani professional tennis player born in Russia, achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 3, making her the first Kazakhstani to enter the top 10. As the current Kazakhstani No. 1, she made history by becoming the first player from Kazakhstan to win a major at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships. Rybakina's accomplishments include nine WTA Tour-level singles titles, featuring two prestigious WTA 1000 victories 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

1991: Comparison to Monica Seles

In 1991, Monica Seles reached the final in the same season at the Australian Open, Indian Wells and Miami Open plus Rome, along with Elena Rybakina in 2023.

June 1999: Elena Rybakina's Birth

In June 1999, Elena Andreyevna Rybakina was born, marking the beginning of her journey as a professional tennis player.

June 1999: Elena Rybakina Born in Moscow

On June 17, 1999, Elena Rybakina was born in Moscow to Andrey Rybakin and Ekaterina. From a young age, she participated in sports like gymnastics and ice skating before transitioning to tennis at the age of six.

2011: Petra Kvitová Wins Wimbledon

In 2011, Petra Kvitová won Wimbledon, becoming the youngest woman champion at 21 years old, a record that stood until Elena Rybakina's victory in 2022.

2012: Comparison to Maria Sharapova

In 2012, Maria Sharapova reached the final in the same season at the Australian Open, Indian Wells and Miami Open plus Rome, along with Elena Rybakina in 2023.

November 2013: ITF Junior Circuit Debut

In November 2013, at the age of 14, Elena Rybakina began playing on the ITF Junior Circuit. This marked the start of her journey in competitive junior tennis.

December 2014: ITF Women's Circuit Debut

In December 2014, at the age of fifteen, Elena Rybakina began playing on the ITF Women's Circuit. This marked her entry into professional women's tennis.

2015: First Grade-1 Final at Belgian International Junior Championships

In 2015, Elena Rybakina reached the final at the Belgian International Junior Championships, which was her first Grade-1 event final. She lost to Katharina Hobgarski in this tournament.

2015: Garbiñe Muguruza Wimbledon finalist

In 2015, Garbiñe Muguruza was a Wimbledon finalist, a record that was broken in 2022 when Elena Rybakina became the youngest Wimbledon finalist.

2016: Runner-Up at Trofeo Bonfiglio Doubles

In 2016, Elena Rybakina achieved her best result at Grade A events in doubles, finishing as runner-up at the Trofeo Bonfiglio alongside Amina Anshba. They lost to Olesya Pervushina and Anastasia Potapova in an all-Russian final.

October 2017: WTA Tour Debut at Kremlin Cup

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

2017: First 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. This victory marked a significant achievement in her junior career.

February 2018: First WTA Tour Match Win and Top 10 Upset

In February 2018, Elena Rybakina won her first WTA Tour match at the St. Petersburg Trophy against Timea Bacsinszky. She then upset world No. 7, Caroline Garcia, in three sets, which significantly improved her world ranking.

June 2018: Federation Switch to Kazakhstan

In June 2018, Elena Rybakina switched federations from Russia to Kazakhstan, shortly after entering the world's top 200 tennis players. This decision marked a significant change in her career path.

2018: Hiring Andrei Chesnokov as Private Coach

In 2018 at the age of 18, Elena Rybakina hired Andrei Chesnokov, whom she had already trained with at Spartak Tennis Club, to be her private coach. This was the first time she had an individual coach.

February 2019: Coaching Change to Stefano Vukov

In February 2019, Elena Rybakina switched coaches to Stefano Vukov, a Croatian former tennis player. With Vukov as her first travelling coach, Rybakina rapidly improved.

September 2019: Early Success in Three-Set Matches

From September 2019 through February 2020, Elena Rybakina excelled at three-set matches, winning 13 out of 14.

2019: First WTA Tour Title at Bucharest Open

In 2019, Elena Rybakina achieved consistent success on the WTA Tour, which included winning her first tour title at the Bucharest Open. She also made her debut in the top 100 rankings.

2019: Start of Rybakina-Sabalenka Rivalry

Since 2019, Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka have faced each other ten times, with Sabalenka leading their head-to-head 7–5. Both players are known for their aggressive baseline play, resulting in fast-paced and intense matches.

February 2020: Early Success in Three-Set Matches

From September 2019 through February 2020, Elena Rybakina excelled at three-set matches, winning 13 out of 14.

2020: Endorsement by Adidas

From the start of 2020, Elena Rybakina was endorsed by Adidas, before being endorsed by Nike.

2020: Five Finals on WTA Tour

In 2020, Elena Rybakina had a breakthrough season, leading the WTA Tour with five finals appearances. This period of success significantly elevated her profile in the world of tennis.

2020: WTA Tour Finals Leader

In 2020, Elena Rybakina led the WTA Tour in finals appearances. Before the COVID-19 pandemic halted the tour, she reached the final of every tournament she entered except for the Australian Open and the Qatar Ladies Open. These achievements helped her climb to No. 17 in the world, making her the first Kazakhstani player to reach the top 20.

November 2021: Top 15 Debut

On 1 November 2021, Elena Rybakina debuted in the top 15, reaching world No. 14, thereby becoming the highest-ranked Kazakhstani player in history.

January 2022: Adelaide International Final and Career-High Ranking

In January 2022, Elena Rybakina reached the final at the Adelaide International 1, where she was defeated by Ash Barty. On January 17, she achieved a career-high ranking of No. 12.

2022: Wimbledon Championship Victory

In 2022, Elena Rybakina achieved a career highlight by winning the Wimbledon Championships. This victory marked a significant milestone in her professional tennis journey.

2022: Rybakina wins 2022 Wimbledon Championships

In 2022, Elena Rybakina claimed her first major title by winning the Wimbledon Championships, becoming the first player from Kazakhstan to achieve this feat.

2022: Defeated 2022 Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins

In 2022, Elena Rybakina defeated 2022 finalist Danielle Collins in the third round.

2022: Wimbledon Victory and Nationality Discourse

In 2022, Elena Rybakina won the Wimbledon Championships, becoming the youngest woman champion since 2011. Her Russian nationality led to public discourse due to the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes at Wimbledon following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

January 2023: Australian Open Final and Top 10 Ranking

In January 2023, Elena Rybakina reached the Australian Open final, marking the second Grand Slam final of her career. On January 30, she entered the top 10 rankings, becoming the first player representing Kazakhstan to achieve this milestone.

January 2023: Cooperation with Bank RBK

On January 24, 2023, Elena Rybakina began to cooperate with Bank RBK.

March 2023: Donation to Female Tennis Players in Kazakhstan

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

May 2023: Career-High Ranking and Italian Open Quarterfinals

In May 2023, Elena Rybakina reached a new career-high of world No. 6 on May 8th after the Miami Open. She then reached the quarterfinals at the Italian Open, securing a new career-high ranking of world No. 5 after wins over Jasmine Paolini, Anna Kalinskaya, and Markéta Vondroušová. She also defeated world No. 1, Iga Świątek, to reach her first Rome semifinal and won her first WTA 1000 clay title, moving to a career-high ranking of world No. 4 on May 22nd after Anhelina Kalinina retired.

June 2023: Rybakina Reaches No. 3 in World Rankings Despite French Open Walkover and Withdrawal from Eastbourne International

In June 2023, Elena Rybakina reached No. 3 in the world rankings on June 12th, despite a walkover due to respiratory illness in the third round of the French Open. On June 26th, Rybakina also announced her withdrawal from the Eastbourne International event due to a viral illness.

2023: Australian Open Final and WTA 1000 Titles

In 2023, Elena Rybakina reached the Australian Open final, won two WTA 1000 titles, and achieved a world No. 3 ranking. This period of success highlighted her continued growth and competitiveness on the WTA Tour.

2023: Rybakina's Victory at the Indian Wells Open

In 2023, Elena Rybakina secured a significant victory against Aryna Sabalenka at the Indian Wells Open, winning 7–6^(11), 6–4.

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. This victory propelled her to a new career-high singles ranking of world No. 7.

2023: WTA 1000 Victories and No. 3 Ranking

In 2023, Elena Rybakina won two WTA 1000 events at the Indian Wells Open and the Italian Open. She was also ranked world No. 3 in women's singles by the WTA, making her the first Kazakhstani to be ranked in the world's top 10.

2023: Sponsorship by Yonex

Since the 2023 French Open, Elena Rybakina has been sponsored by Yonex for clothing and shoes.

April 2024: Last final before Internationaux de Strasbourg victory

Since April 2024, Rybakina did not reach any finals until she became a last minute entry into the Internationaux de Strasbourg, and defeated Wang Xinyu, Magda Linette, and Beatriz Haddad Maia to reach her first final since April 2024.

November 2024: Hiring Goran Ivanišević as New Coach

In November 2024, Elena Rybakina announced Goran Ivanišević as her new coach after splitting from Vukov after that year's US Open.

2024: Wimbledon Championships

Elena Rybakina reached the semifinals in the 2024 Wimbledon Championships.

2024: Brisbane International Victory and Australian Open Exit

In 2024, Elena Rybakina started her season by winning the Brisbane International final against Aryna Sabalenka. However, she exited in the second round at the Australian Open after losing to Anna Blinkova in a match featuring the longest tie-break in Grand Slam history.

2024: Paolini's Victory at the French Open Quarterfinals

In 2024, Jasmine Paolini defeated Elena Rybakina 6–2, 7–6 at the French Open quarterfinals, marking her first win over a top-five player at a major and propelling her into her first Grand Slam semifinal.

2024: Sabalenka's Victory at the Madrid Open

In 2024, at the Madrid Open, Aryna Sabalenka came back from a set and a break down to defeat Elena Rybakina 1–6, 7–5, 7–6^(5).

January 2025: Rehiring of Stefano Vukov and Subsequent Suspension

In January 2025, Elena Rybakina rehired Stefano Vukov as an additional coach. He was subsequently suspended by the WTA under a code of conduct investigation, and later banned for 12 months, barring him from gaining accreditation at WTA–sanctioned events.

July 2025: DC Open and National Bank Open Semifinal Appearances

In July 2025, Elena Rybakina reached the semifinals of the DC Open, losing to Leylah Fernandez. She also reached the semifinals of the National Bank Open in Montreal, losing to Victoria Mboko.

2025: Coaching Split with Goran Ivanišević

Elena Rybakina and Goran Ivanišević worked together until her 2025 Australian Open exit.

2025: 2025 Season Start and Australian Open Performance

In 2025, Elena Rybakina began her season at the United Cup. She also participated in the Australian Open but lost to Madison Keys, the eventual champion, in the fourth round.

2025: Madrid and Italian Open Performances and Internationaux de Strasbourg Victory

In 2025, Elena Rybakina defeated Bianca Andreescu at the Madrid Open but lost to Elina Svitolina. At the Italian Open, she defeated Eva Lys but lost to Andreescu. Rybakina defeated Liudmila Samsonova at the Internationaux de Strasbourg to capture her first title in over a year. Seeded 12th, Rybakina then reached the fourth round of the French Open, before losing to Iga Świątek in three sets.

2025: Dubai Tennis Championships Performance and Ranking Drop

In 2025, Elena Rybakina reached the quarterfinals at the Dubai Tennis Championships, defeating Paula Badosa. She then defeated Sofia Kenin to reach the semifinals. She lost to Mirra Andreeva in three sets. At Indian Wells, she lost to Andreeva in the fourth round. Rybakina lost to Ashlyn Krueger in the second round of the Miami Open. She opted to play in the qualifiers for the Billie Jean King Cup and dropped to No. 11 in the rankings.

2025: Grass Season Performances

In 2025, Elena Rybakina started her grass season at the Queen's Club Championships, losing in the quarterfinals to Tatjana Maria. She also reached the quarterfinals of the Bad Homburg Open, losing to Aryna Sabalenka despite having match points. She lost to Clara Tauson in the third round of the Wimbledon Championships.