Elena Rybakina has faced one obstacle after another. The Kazakh star, who exited the Wimbledon Championships in the third round earlier this month, came into Washington with high hopes. A new surface means new challenges and fresh possibilities! So far, Elena has made it work, stunning the tennis world with her opening doubles match alongside Emma Raducanu and then her singles run against Canada’s Victoria Mboko. While she won in straight sets like a true Grand Slam champion, she’s not entirely at ease.

Rybakina secured a solid 6-3, 7-5 victory over Victoria Mboko on Thursday night. With this confident performance under the lights, she now awaits her next challenge: either American wildcard Venus Williams or Poland’s No. 5 seed Magdalena Fręch, depending on their upcoming match. But Elena revealed a lingering injury that’s casting a shadow.

After the match, Rybakina opened up about her foot trouble, saying, “There are always problems with my feet, but sometimes they are serious and sometimes they are better. It is certainly not easy to change venues, and we are working hard to deal with it.” She told the press, “We will see how I feel tomorrow, but this matter does require more of my attention. I felt okay during the game today, and I hope it will get better and better in the future.” Despite the injuries, she’s pushing forward with determination!

Since winning the 2022 Wimbledon title, the Kazakh has battled inconsistency and injuries. From a painful back injury that forced her withdrawal from the 2024 US Open and disrupted her Asian swing to ongoing physical challenges at the 2025 Australian Open and an early Wimbledon exit, the relentless grind has taken its toll. But has that stopped her? Not at all!

Now, after reaching her seventh quarterfinal of the season, Elena is pleased with her hard court performance. “It feels good to play on hard courts. Today’s game was very difficult,” she shared. “This is my first night game this season, and I haven’t even practiced at night. So I’m very happy to win and look forward to the next one.” The weight of pressure to win another slam might be there, but Rybakina’s mindset is ready to tackle it head-on.

Elena Rybakina gets real about the pressure to win

On March 30, the 2022 Wimbledon champion opened up to the Tennis Insider Club about the pressure that comes with expectations after winning the Grand Slam. “Well, I think the most difficult is that you expect a lot from yourself. It’s not really expectations of other people. Then when something doesn’t go your way, you’re getting upset,” she explained. She emphasized how important it is to have the right people around you. “You need some kind of support. Someone who can push you. The team who believes in you. Family, friends… we lose more than we win in the end of the day.” That mindset keeps her grounded despite the ups and downs.

Elena Rybakina has made some big changes to her coaching squad in the past year. After parting ways with Stefano Vukov, she welcomed Goran Ivanisevic, Novak Djokovic’s former coach, onto her team. Fans saw a spark at the WTA Finals, but surprisingly, she reunited with Vukov for the 2025 season—even though his intense approach reportedly caused “psychological problems” for her. Then after a tough Australian Open, she split with Ivanisevic again. Clearly, she’s figuring out what works best for her on and off the court.

Currently, Davide Sanguinetti leads her coaching team at tournaments, while Aldo Chiari handles fitness and Stefan Duell focuses on recovery and physiotherapy. Rybakina says she feels supported by this crew, which is crucial when battling ongoing injuries. About coping, she shared, “It’s something you need to work at every day. You never know when the result comes. You might feel great and amazing on the court, but then one day you wake up and get sick.” The fight with her body is real, but so is her resolve.

Heading into the quarterfinals at the Citi Open, Elena Rybakina remains optimistic despite the challenges. “What can you do? Nothing. You just need to keep on going again. That’s how I see it.” The big question now: can she push through her foot troubles and charge into the semis? What’s your take? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!