How Strasbourg champion Rybakina reset her season ahead of Roland Garros

Three times last year, Elena Rybakina knew the feeling of invincibility.

She opened her season with a title run in Brisbane, winning all five of her matches in the Australian heat and beating Aryna Sabalenka in the final. She added two more trophies in Abu Dhabi and Stuttgart, going 4-0 in both to collect the seventh and eighth titles of her career.

That last championship came more than a year ago. On five separate occasions, the 25-year-old who represents Kazakhstan put together four- or five-match win streaks, but injury and illness repeatedly short-circuited her momentum, keeping her from reaching another final.

Until last week in Strasbourg.

Rybakina hadn’t strung together more than three consecutive wins all season, until she rediscovered her rhythm at the Tennis Club de Strasbourg. In Saturday’s final, she overpowered Liudmila Samsonova 6-1, 6-7(2), 6-1 to win the WTA 500 Internationaux de Strasbourg title.

“Kiss me goodbye, I’m defying gravity.

And you can’t pull me down.”

The words, sung by Elphaba in Wicked, may be theatrical, but they feel right in describing Rybakina’s rebound.

She fired 16 aces in the final, the last one on match point and finished with 37 in four matches. She won 41 of her 46 service games (.891) and successfully saved 18 of 23 break points.

Originally scheduled to face Belinda Bencic in the first round of Roland Garros, Rybakina instead opens against Argentinian qualifier Julia Riera after Bencic withdrew with an arm injury. Their match is scheduled for Monday.

After taking the title, Rybakina chatted with wtatennis.com briefly before scrambling to board the train that would carry her 250 miles to Paris.

You lost the first four matches you previously played against Samsonova and now you’ve won two in a row. How did you turn that around?

Rybakina: I think I was playing better each match here. I like the courts in Strasbourg, and I knew this place. I did some work with the team before. And these tough matches, it’s great I could turn around some of them. I think overall it was a very positive week for me.

It’s been a while since you were in the winner’s circle. The last title came in Stuttgart -- more than a year ago …

Rybakina: Yes, it’s been a while. I’m really happy. I haven’t played this many matches in a row in a long time. Yeah, feeling good physically, of course gives you confidence, so hopefully with this kind of attitude and mood I can go to Paris and play well there.

Your record in Paris is quite good. Quarterfinals in 2021 and 2024 (losing to Jasmine Paolini). Four of your nine titles came on clay … What is it about clay and Roland Garros that agrees with your game?

Rybakina: I think the clay is a little bit faster in Paris than, say, Rome. So I have time to move. I also have a big serve, which on clay at the French Open works well. Basically, if I’m physically fit and moving well, I can play on this surface. Last year, I was physically not at my best but still got to the quarters. It was a great result and hopefully this year I can go far.

You don’t show a lot of emotion on the court, but in those pictures with the trophy you seemed very happy with that victory?

Rybakina: Yeah, really happy. Before the match of course I was a bit nervous. This is actually what I needed the most before coming to the French Open. So in my head, I’m saying just try to fight each point and no matter the result, we already did a great job with the team. So I was trying to put any pressure away from myself and just try to enjoy. I know that Liuda can play really well, the shots she has, you can’t do anything -- it’s just hats off. I’m happy for the moments I managed to serve well and bring my best to win this title. 

Does winning in Strasbourg change your expectations for Roland Garros?

Rybakina: Not really because I know it’s a different tournament, different opponents and anything can happen. I just need to go day by day. I just need to stay healthy, keep working and the results will come. Now it’s time to start again.