Wimbledon: Elena Rybakina misses big WTA Rankings chance, Barbora Krejcikova +18

Barbora Krejcikova will enjoy a major WTA Rankings boost after her run to the Wimbledon final as Elena Rybakina missed out on a big opportunity.
Krejcikova produced a stunning performance to upset 2022 Wimbledon champion and title favourite Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the semi-finals at the All England Club on Thursday.
The 28-year-old Czech, who won the 2021 French Open, is through to her second Grand Slam singles final, where she will face seventh seed Jasmine Paolini.
Krejcikova reached the Australian Open quarter-finals in January, but posted a 3-7 record across her next seven tournaments before Wimbledon as she struggled with illness.
“It was super difficult. It was very, very up and down, especially with all the illnesses that I had especially this year,” she explained after beating Rybakina.
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“I felt like I started well, especially in Australia. I was on a good roll. Then, I don’t know, just my body said differently.
“I’m extremely proud that I never give up and that I’m here, yeah, that I have the energy and the power to overcome this and to fight again and to play good tennis.”
Krejcikova was ranked 32nd heading into Wimbledon, and she has climbed 18 spots to 14th in the live WTA Rankings with the points earned for her six victories en route to the final. If the former world No 2 claims the title, she will jump to 10th position.
Rybakina, meanwhile, has gained 350 points for reaching the semi-finals, having made the quarter-finals in 2023, but she will remain fourth in the rankings.
If the 25-year-old Kazakh claimed her second Wimbledon crown, she would have taken the world No 3 spot from Aryna Sabalenka, who withdrew before the tournament. Rybakina reached a career-high WTA ranking of third in June 2023.
“I think she raised her first serve percentage in the second set. My percentage dropped a little bit. It went pretty quick. We had a lot of games on deuce, 30-all,” Rybakina reflected after her defeat in the last four.
“I think physically I also dropped in some important moments. I should’ve stayed more aggressive with a bit better footwork. But she was playing well, opening up the court. Also serving pretty well. I cannot say much.
“It’s definitely a pity to lose the match and being so close to the final. But as I said before, I think overall it was a positive two weeks for me. I’ve been playing pretty well the last four matches.
“So I’m happy with the level I’m at now and also how I felt physically on the court. Because the last few months I was struggling a bit. I’m just trying to take only positives from these two weeks.”