Elena Rybakina reveals she discusses various potential in-match situations before stepping out on the court as that helps her be much better prepared in case she finds herself in a stressful situation.
This season, Rybakina had a couple of baffling losses. At the French Open, the world No. 5 was 6-1 2-0 up on Iga Swiatek before collapsing and losing. In Berlin, the Kazakh had four consecutive match points at 6-2 in the third-set tie-break against Aryna Sabalenka before blowing it all. Also, the 2022 Wimbledon champion lost the Washington semifinal to Leylah Fernandez despite being up by a set and leading 5-3 in the second.
However, toward the end of the season, Rybakina looked much stronger mentally and didn't allow herself such lapses on the court. That resulted in the Kazakh winning Ningbo and impressively going undefeated at the WTA Finals. It is worth mentioning that just before the US Open, the 26-year-old got Stefano Vukov officially back to her team.
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Rybakina: I always have a plan in case something happens... Deep breathing also helps
"Before a match, my coach and I try to discuss potential situations during the match. And how I should play against my opponent. When you go out on court with a plan, it really helps," the reigning WTA Finals champion told Informburo.
"But, for example, during a match, if there are some tense situations and I have 25 seconds (to put the next ball into play Ed. ) or to move from one part of the court to another, I'll try to focus on my breathing. This can relieve stress or nervous tension. Breathing can help me let go of the situation a little. To say I meditate off the court is probably not the case. Although sometimes my fitness coach and I try to make time for it, it's not part of my regular routine."
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Rybakina won all 11 of her last matches played in 2025, and that tells you everything you need to know about her form late in the season.
