For a long time, the exclusion of Russian professionals determined the debate, now the tennis classic Wimbledon is coming to an end with a nightmare scenario for the organizers. Russian-born Jelena Rybakina wins the title for Kazakhstan.
At the thought of her parents, Elena Rybakina still showed great emotions. After the suppressed joy at the surprising Wimbledon triumph on the pitch, the native Russian suddenly shed tears in the evening press conference – the 23-year-old answered questions about Russia and Vladimir Putin stoically. “From my side I can only say that I represent Kazakhstan. I didn’t choose where I was born”said Rybakina, who has represented Kazakhstan since 2018.
Rybakina: “I represent Kazakhstan”
Because of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, professionals from Russia and Belarus were excluded from Wimbledon. The debate that top players like Daniil Medvedev were missing and that the ATP and WTA organizations did not award world ranking points as a reaction, dominated the headlines for a long time before the tournament.
“Laughing out loud at his vodka glasses”
The fact that a player from Moscow won the women’s competition also gave the tournament a political note at the end. “Wimbledon ended with the very image it had tried so desperately to prevent”wrote the British “telegraph” and outlined the moment when Duchess Kate died Venus Rosewater Dish presented to Rybakina as a trophy. “This women’s final produced a photo opportunity that had everyone at the Russian Embassy in London roaring with laughter over their glasses of vodka.”
Evasive answers
After her three-set final win against Tunisian Ons Jabeur, Rybakina was asked again if she condemned Russia’s war of aggression and Putin’s actions. “People believed in me. Kazakhstan supported me so much. Also today there was so much support, I saw the flags”she answered evasively. “I don’t know how to answer these questions.” When asked about the war, she said earlier in the tournament that she wanted it to end as soon as possible. During Wimbledon, Ukrainian players like Lessia Zurenko reported emotionally about their worries about their families back home.
Congratulations also from Russia
Like several other top professionals, Rybakina had changed nations long before the war, partly because of the prospect of greater funding. She hugged the President of the Kazakh Tennis Association, Bulat Utemuratov, in the stands. The head of state of the Central Asian country Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated from afar on a “historic victory” and the first Grand Slam-United title for Kazakhstan.
Rybakina quickly received congratulations for her victory from Russia as well. “We have contributed a lot to their development”, Shamil Tarpishchev, head of the Russian Tennis Union, told the Russian newspaper “Sport-Express”. “Are there any grudges against them? No. This is sport. Everyone chooses their own path. That is their right.”
Rybakina emphasized that she was “grateful” to Kazakhstan for everything. When asked if she feared her victory in Russia could be used politically, she replied: “I don’t know what’s going to happen. There will always be some news but I can’t do anything about it.”