Jul 9, 2022 - Sports

Wimbledon 2022: Elena Rybakina wins Kazakhstan's first Grand Slam

TuAnh Dam

Elena Rybakina. Photo: Sebastien Bozon/AFP via Getty Images

Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina won her country's first Grand Slam singles title, beating Tunisia's Ons Jabeur 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 at Wimbledon in the women's final on Saturday.

The big picture: Wimbledon banned Russian and Belarussian athletes from the tournament in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, but Rybakina, who is Russian-born, was the one holding the Venus Rosewater Dish on Centre Court.

Rybakina was born in and played for Russia until 2018 when she switched federations for financial backing.
When asked this week if she still feels Russian, Rybakina said "it’s a tough question."

Details: Both Rybakina and Jabeur were playing for history on Saturday.

Jabeur, who won the first set, was looking to become the first Arab woman and first player from Africa to win a Grand Slam.
The Tunisian was already the first from her country to win a WTA singles title and reach the Top 10, and entered Wimbledon at a career-high world No. 2.
Rybakina, 23, is the youngest player to reach the women's singles final at Wimbledon in seven years, since Spain's Garbine Muguruza in 2015.

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Wimbledon 2022: Elena Rybakina wins Kazakhstan's first Grand Slam

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