After registering a win over World Number 1 Iga Swiatek in straight sets on Sunday, Wimbledon Champion Elena Rybakina not only ended Swiatek's campaign who was the favourites to win the women's singles crown this year but has now announced that on her day she can beat anyone in the world. The Wimbledon Champion's win over her Polish opponent has also made the women's draw wide open with a chance for anyone of the ones alive in the tournament to script history.
"If I perform like I did this week, and if it's going to be consistently, then for sure I will say that I can be number one," the Russia-born tennis ace who represents Kazakhstan said at a press conference after the match,
"I can beat anyone," she said.
The goal is to improve but also to stay healthy: Elena Rybakina
Even though she is currently ranked 25 in the world, it is pertinent to note that her Wimbledon win did not fetch her any points owing to the ban on Russian and Belarusian players. This implies that her ranking may not be a correct indicator of how she is growing from strength to strength in the women's tennis circuit.
"It doesn't bother me because it's been already six months after Wimbledon and the year just started," the 23-year-old said having knocked the women's singles top-seed of the competition.
"It's long. It's a lot of tournaments in front. The goal is to improve but also to stay healthy because it's not easy to perform every week and feel fresh and don't be injured," she said highlighting how she needs to stay free of injuries to fulfil her dream of becoming the number 1 player in the world.
"So I think that's the most important thing," she stated.
Rybakina beat Swiatek 6-4, 6-4 at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Sunday.