Once a champion, always a champion? Not quite, believes Elena Rybakina, at least not at Wimbledon 2025. On July 5, the 2022 title-winner and current 11th seed was ousted in the third round by Denmark’s Clara Tauson in straight sets, 7‑6(6), 6‑3. It was one of the most surprising upsets of the tournament so far, but what followed was even more unexpected: Rybakina, normally calm and composed, openly criticized the tournament for what she saw as second-rate treatment. And it all started with the court she was placed on.

“Honestly, I was expecting quite one,” she said post-Wimbledon match. “But when I saw that it’s Court 2… I mean, nothing I can do in this situation.” For most players, Court Two might still seem prestigious. But for a former champion, that placement felt like a snub, especially on a rain-interrupted Saturday where only Centre Court and Court One had retractable roofs. As a past champion, she felt she deserved a place on Centre Court or Court One. Rybakina, who’s lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish before, was left battling both the weather and an inspired opponent on an uncovered court. And she wasn’t happy about it.

“Of course, it’s much nicer to play on Court One or Centre,” she said. Though her tone betrayed her frustration. To Tauson’s credit, she played lights-out tennis. The 23rd seed won 73% of her first-serve points, saved all four break points, and held her nerve to earn her first-ever grass-court win, and first victory over Rybakina after two previous defeats. She was solid, confident, and deserved the win. But for Rybakina, the issue wasn’t just Tauson, it was the overall setup. Playing in inconsistent conditions disrupted her flow. “Same courts for everyone, same for my opponent,” she added, trying to be fair. “So it didn’t matter.” But fans, and her tone, knew it did.

That frustration hit a nerve across tennis social media. Tennis analyst Myles Davis shared a video of her post-match remarks on X, where the reaction was split, and her frustration was visible on her face. But one thing was clear: Rybakina wasn’t just reacting to a loss. She was reacting to a system that, in her eyes, forgot who she was.

So while Tauson moves on, Rybakina leaves with more than just a defeat. Her words reopened a familiar debate about tradition versus recognition, and whether Wimbledon still remembers its champions when the draw gets crowded. Sometimes, it seems, lifting the trophy isn’t enough to guarantee the spotlight or shelter from the storm.  But was it the first time something like this happened to her? Not at all.

Elena Rybakina lifted the Wimbledon trophy, but she still watches others take the spotlight

They say respect is earned, but for Elena Rybakina, it seems it’s still pending. As the 2022 Wimbledon champion, Rybakina was expected to uphold tradition by opening her 2023 title defense on Centre Court, the honor routinely granted to reigning champions. Instead, she was assigned to Court No. 1, a move that baffled fans and media alike.

The following year, Wimbledon doubled down. Despite being a top-5 player and former champion, Rybakina was left out of the 2024 pre-tournament media day entirely. While stars like Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka took center stage in press conferences, Rybakina was nowhere in official promos or interviews. The situation worsened when ESPN’s promo reels also omitted her image, even as they featured Djokovic and Swiatek prominently.

Yet, despite the snubs, Rybakina keeps letting her racket do the talking. At the 2025 French Open, she steamrolled past Jelena Ostapenko with a clinical 6‑2, 6‑2 win, praised as a devastating exhibition of effortless, destructive ball-striking. Even against world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, Rybakina raced to a shocking 5‑0 lead in the opening set on clay, a surface not even considered her strongest. And of course, we can’t forget Wimbledon 2022, where she became Kazakhstan’s first-ever Grand Slam champion. In a sport where hype often outweighs substance, Rybakina shows us you can’t sideline greatness forever.