Wimbledon: Rybakina triumphs for Kazakhstan - and Russia cheers
The Russian ban kept Wimbledon in suspense. The punchline: Elena Rybakina , born and educated in Moscow, wins the tournament. A young sportswoman in the mills of world politics.
by SID
last edit: Jul 10, 2022, 12:18 pm
At some point it broke out of Elena Rybakina. She could have cried with happiness at match point or when the Duchess of Cambridge presented her with the Wimbledon trophy. She could have faltered or sobbed in her victory speech on the holy of turf. But it wasn't until hours later when asked about her parents back home in Moscow that Rybakina lost her remarkable temper.
"You wanted to see emotions," she said tearfully, "I held them back for too long." Until the pressure became too much for her, the stage too big and the questions too probing. In the 3: 6, 6: 2, 6: 2 in the final against Ons Jabeur, she was able to defend herself with serve, forehand and volley, after the match she was defenseless.
Russia's tennis boss claims success for himself
After many happy days, feel-good stories like "Mama Maria's" tennis fairy tale or sporting dramas like Rafael Nadal's futile fight against his body, the memory pushed back with power that the global political situation is also burdening Wimbledon. Rybakina, born, raised and trained in Moscow on the throne, cheering in Russia - the All England Club had certainly imagined it differently.
The exclusion of professionals from Russia and Belarus because of the war of aggression against Ukraine should prevent Russia from exploiting success for propaganda purposes. And now? "Well done, Rybakina! We won Wimbledon," Russia's tennis boss Shamil Tarpishchev told the state news agency Ria Novosti, calling the winner "our product."
Amazingly nerve-racking Rybakina
Rybakina (23) has been starting for Kazakhstan for four years, played under the sky-blue flag at the Tokyo Olympics - and also in the Billie Jean King Cup in April against Germany. "It's not my fault where I was born," Rybakina said. She could "only say that I represent Kazakhstan." But not whether she condemns the war and Vladimir Putin's actions: "Sorry, my English isn't the best."
It was her tennis. Deserved - because surprisingly strong nerves - Rybakina won on Saturday against the second in the world rankings. Jabeur's dream of the title was shattered, the Tunisian, who had kicked out her friend Tatjana Maria two days earlier, got tangled up in her own possibilities and gambled away instead of consistently fighting back as in the first sentence.
Jabeur - "Maybe I wanted it too much"
Later, the "ambassador of happiness", as she is called at home, sat sadly on the podium, she would have liked to have given the people in the Arab world, throughout Africa, the first Grand Slam title - on the first day of the Eid festival of sacrifice al-Adha. "Maybe I wanted it too much," said Jabeur, promising not to give up.
"I'm trying to inspire as many generations as I can," she said. Her tears had dried by then. Jabeur had lived out her emotions on Center Court. She had her temper and joy back - and never lost her homeland. The listeners at Rybakina could not be sure of that a few hours after the match.
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