The world No.1 stepped out of an harm cloud and into the NY stress cooker like a real champion.
Chris OddoSeptember 13, 20263 minute learn
Twenty-three days earlier than Elena Rybakina lifted the US Open trophy, she wasn’t positive she would be capable of play in New York in any respect.
Rybakina pulled out of her Cincinnati quarterfinal towards Iga Swiatek after simply 5 video games due to an Achilles harm. What adopted was uncertainty, medical consultations and 7 days with out touching a racquet.
Three weeks later, she was the US Open champion, which even she discovered stunning.
“I’m shocked, to be sincere. I’ve no phrases,” Rybakina mentioned. “I used to be coming right here somewhat bit injured — not somewhat bit injured. By some means, daily, we had been looking for a approach, adapting to all of the challenges I used to be waking up with each day.”
The harm was significantly regarding in line with Rybakina, as a result of she has handled a power foot concern for years. After arriving in New York, an MRI didn’t alleviate all considerations.
“It didn’t look that nice,” she mentioned. “We needed to discuss with a whole lot of docs to get opinions on what we should always do.”
Working intently together with her staff and a physician in Australia, Rybakina spent the subsequent week not training for the ultimate Grand Slam of 2026, however shuttling between her lodge room and the fitness center, specializing in remedy and restoration.
“I used to be not touching my racket for seven days earlier than the match,” she revealed on Saturday after defeating Aryna Sabalenka, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 within the closing.
As soon as cleared to play, Rybakina had simply 4 days of on-court observe earlier than her first spherical.
Outstanding that she made the entire run look comparatively simple, and a real testomony to the standard of her tennis.
Possessing arguably one of the best serve within the girls’s sport and the power to dictate factors from the baseline, Rybakina prevented bodily tussles early on. She didn’t drop a set by way of 4 rounds and regularly appeared extra comfy than ever at a match the place she had by no means beforehand superior past the fourth spherical.
No.1 Strain Drop
There was one other supply of stress, that finally fell by the wayside.
Rybakina arrived in New York chasing the No. 1 rating together with three different gamers – Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Sabalenka – and when she clinched it by reaching the semifinals she mentioned it gave her a way of reduction.
“It was a reduction afterward as a result of I achieved one objective,” she mentioned. “Then, in fact, no matter occurs after, you simply attempt to play.”
After starting 2026 by successful the Australian Open — her first main title since Wimbledon in 2022 — the 27-year-old bookended a exceptional 12 months with main trophies.
“I really feel like this match was simply form of extra traumatic as a result of I used to be taking part in for No. 1, after which, in fact, this harm,” Rybakina mentioned. “Every single day was form of a problem, however I felt like in these conditions I used to be extra calm than when related issues had been occurring earlier than.
“All the things went my approach,” Rybakina mentioned. “I’m shocked.”
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