Coco Gauff’s Ex-Coach Tips Elena Rybakina for US Open Glory in a Bold Statement

“For some reason the US Open through the years wasn’t really successful for me. So hopefully this year it will change,” said Elena Rybakina in her on-court interview after taking down Emma Raducanu 6-1, 6-2 in a third-round match that wrapped up in just 62 minutes. The ninth-seeded player from Kazakhstan, famous for her strong serve and bold baseline game, took control right from the beginning. She broke Raducanu’s serve early, and kept up the pressure all match long. But after early exits at all 3 Slams this year, Rybakina is looking like she’s in her element and Coco Gauff‘s former coach, Brad Gilbert thinks so too.

Indeed, Rybakina’s victory was a big deal as it was her first time making it to the fourth round at Flushing Meadows after seven tries in the main draw. Raducanu, who took home the US Open title in 2021, had a tough time dealing with Rybakina’s sharp precision and strong power. This was especially evident on first-serve points, where Rybakina managed to win a remarkable 83% of her serves.

Rybakina showed her strength in the match, especially since she didn’t face a single break point. It just highlights how focused and efficient she was out there. After that impressive win, Coco Gauff’s former coach, Brad Gilbert, hopped on X to shoutout Rybakina’s performance. He said, “Ryba playing very good 👍 ball all over Raducando, she announced herself has one ☝️ of top favs moving forward.”

Gilbert’s endorsement means a lot, especially since he’s coached Grand Slam champions like Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick. Plus, he helped Coco Gauff win her 2023 US Open title. Gilbert’s support is particularly noteworthy amid the coaching changes in women’s tennis, including his own split with Gauff after a series of disappointing results. He sees Rybakina’s potential, highlighting how she’s managed to bounce back and succeed even with the coaching drama from earlier this year, with the suspension of her longtime coach, Stefano Vukov.

Now with Vukov reinstated by the WTA, Rybakina is moving on to take on either Jasmine Paolini or Marketa Vondrousova in the fourth round, and her performance has made a statement to the rest of the field. With support from experienced names like Brad Gilbert and a game that’s always improving, Rybakina looks like she can make a deep run in New York.

Elena Rybakina has put her health concerns behind her

Watching Elena Rybakina dismantle Emma Raducanu with ruthless efficiency, one wouldn’t think to guess that almost exactly a year ago, the 26-year-old was battling some serious health problems. It all began when she pulled out of the Paris Olympics, just days before, citing acute bronchitis. Then, she withdrew from the US Open due to an unspecified injury, following which she was ruled out of the entire Asian swing of the tour with a back injury.

Then in January of this year, Rybakina revealed that she had been struggling with insomnia for the better part of a year. The lack of sleep combined with the grind of the tour wrecked her immune system. But now, months later, Rybakina looks revitalized while playing some of her best tennis.

“I had big issues with insomnia,” said Rybakina. “I think 2023, the whole year was pretty tough for me. I played a lot, and we had different schedule. I was playing a lot night sessions, and we didn’t have that rule yet that you cannot go on court after 11:00. So I’ve been playing a lot and, as I said, many night matches. With Billie Jean King Cup this season was kind of long.”

She continued, “Of course, coming to the next season 2024, I started again pretty well, and it was so many tournaments. I was playing until the end almost. So my insomnia was there, and I was struggling almost the whole year. But now it’s much better. Now I have no issues, which I’m pretty happy.”

After health issues and coaching issues, things finally look calm on Rybakina’s horizon. Next, it’s a battle between two former Wimbledon champions as Elena Rybakina takes on Czechia’s Marketa Vondrousova in the Round of 16.