Here’s Why Russian-Born Wimbledon Semifinalist Elena Rybakina Changed Her Nationality to Kazakh
Follow Us
23-year-old Kazakhstani player, Elena Rybakina, created history yesterday, as she became the first Kazakh player to reach the semi-finals of the Wimbledon Championships. In the semi-final, she will face the 2019 Wimbledon Champion Simona Halep, which will be a tough match for her.
Interestingly, in 2018, she changed her nationality from Russian to Kazakh. Recently, she talked about the reason for taking this drastic decision.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Elena Rybakina talks about changing her nationality from Russian to Kazakh
After beating the Australian tennis player Ajla Tomljanovic in the quarter-final, she talked about her emotional journey as a Kazakh player. According to her, she had many offers from universities in America, as her dad wanted her to go abroad for a better future. However, she wanted to play tennis professionally, which looked impossible in Russia. And that’s when the Kazakhstan Federation helped her and promised her financially, as well as provided her with the best facilities.
Read More: 2022 Wimbledon Championships: Simona Halep vs Elena Rybakina – Preview, Head-to-Head, Prediction
Trending
Roger Federer Turns Teary Eyed Over Wife Mirka Breaking 15-Year Long Silence for His Upcoming Documentary
May 15, 2024 05:45 AM EDT
Coco Gauff’s Coach’s Call for a Serious Action Backfires After Fans Use the Occasion to Criticize American’s Shortcomings
May 14, 2024 01:30 PM EDT
Italian Open 2024: How Much Does Aryna Sabalenka or Iga Swiatek Will Earn if They Claim the Title?
May 18, 2024 02:39 PM EDT
Serena Williams’ Ex-Coach Rushes to Coco Gauff’s Defence Against a Nasty Troll Belittling Her US Open Glory
May 15, 2024 12:30 PM EDT
Tennis Rumour: Jannik Sinner Possibly Dating Anna Kalinskaya Sends Fans Into a Frenzy
May 17, 2024 03:56 PM EDT
Get instantly notified of the hottest Tennis stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.
Follow Us
Speaking about this incident, she said, “They (Kazakhstan federation) believed in me. They made everything possible for me to keep playing, keep improving. I had all the conditions to practice and everything. Of course, it helped a lot.”
“It was very good timing because they were looking for the player. I was looking for some help. They believed in me. So, I think it was very good combination. We just find each other,” she further said.
Notably, Rybakina was representing Russia during her junior days and then changed her nationality to Russian in 2018. Since then, she improved dramatically on the tour, before the pandemic halted her progression. Now, she is 23 in the WTA rankings and already making steady progress on the tour.
Can Rybakina beat Simona Halep to create history at Wimbledon Championships 2022?
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Currently, the Russian-born Kazakh player is taking on the Romanian on the Centre Court in the semis at the Wimbledon Championships. Undoubtedly, many picked Halep to win this match. However, the Kazakh player could surprise the Romanian to become the first Kazakh player to reach the final of a Grand Slam tournament.
Rybakina races in front, taking the opener 6-3
It's the first set Halep has lost at Wimbledon since the second round in 2019#Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 pic.twitter.com/KdCkXvr7hk
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2022
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Watch This Story: Drama at Wimbledon Championships involving Nick Kyrgios, Dan Evans, Jelena Ostapenko, Simona Halep, and others.
As of now, Rybakina took the opening set against Halep in the Semi-final match. However, the Romanian is fighting hard in the second set to come back into the match.
Edited by:
Deepakshi Chaudhary