Elena Rybakina makes clay court admission as she claims ‘I need a bit more time’
Elena Rybakina has claimed she “can play good” on clay courts but sometimes needs “a bit more time” to get used to the demanding surface.
World No 4 Rybakina, who has won titles in Brisbane and Abu Dhabi this year, is most associated with success on fast courts, famously winning Wimbledon in 2022 and reaching the Australian Open final the following year.
But the Kazakh, who has reached further finals in Doha and Miami this season, has had some clay court success in the past.
She won the WTA 1000 event in Rome last season and also won her first WTA title on the surface, in Bucharest five years ago.
Rybakina reached her first major quarter-final at the 2021 French Open – beating Serena Williams on her way to that stage – and started her 2024 clay season with a hard-fought 7-6(3), 1-6, 6-4 win over Veronika Kudermetova.
And in her press conference afterwards, she admitted that her problem was not the surface itself, but the limited time she had to adjust to it.
She said: “Well, I always believed that I can play good on clay. My first win on the WTA was on clay.
“It’s just the season is quite short, and of course me, for example, I need a bit more time to get used, to adapt, to play some matches.
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“But overall I think that I can play well on all the surfaces. Last year it was a great tournament in Rome, and then the French Open, I actually feel also well there.
“I like the courts. It’s just I was unlucky with sickness, so I think I’m doing pretty well for now.”
Rybakina was one of the favourites to win the French Open title in 2023, but had to withdraw from the tournament in the third round due to illness – an issue that dogged her throughout the rest of the year.
But her run to the last eight in Paris three years ago – coupled with her Rome win – highlights how dangerous she can be on the surface.
And the 24-year-old revealed that she also feels comfortable playing at the WTA 1000 event in Madrid, despite a relative lack of success there.
“I like a faster surface, and I think in Madrid it’s quite fast,” Rybakina added.
“For now I was not successful there, but I think that’s a great tournament for me.
“Rome was nice. As I said, French Open, I like the courts. It’s just the question of good preparation and being healthy. And then it all depends on you and of course on the opponent.”
