"Aryna Sabalenka's No. 1 now, so I want to make it difficult for her" - Elena Rybakina sends warning to Belarusian ahead of WTA Finals clash
Elena Rybakina has issued a warning to Aryna Sabalenka ahead of their showdown at the 2024 WTA Finals, intent on putting up a formidable fight against the World No. 1. The duo is set to lock horns in their final group-stage match at the year-end championships in Riyadh.
Ryabkina's campaign at the WTA Finals hasn't progressed as she would've hoped, as she lost her opening match to Jasmine Paolini 7-6(5), 6-4. The Kazakh also fell short against Zheng Qinwen, suffering a narrow 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-1 defeat in her second round-robin match, which ended her hopes of reaching the semifinals.
Elena Rybakina shared an honest assessment of her performance in her post-match interview, highlighting her missed opportunities against Zheng. Despite feeling exhausted in the third set, the 25-year-old took satisfaction in her relentless effort throughout the tough match, describing it as a good contest.
"Yeah today was a longer match and I think I had some chances also in the first set. I was always down but then in the tiebreak, just a couple of better points and then it would've been easier but overall I played again from beginning till the end this tough match, three sets," Elena Rybakina said.
"Not the result I wanted of course and definitely in the third set, physically I was already very tired and didn't feel the greatest but overall it's a good one for me," she added.
While the World No. 5 is no longer in the running for a spot in the semifinals, she expressed her intention to pose a "difficult" challenge to Aryna Sabalenka in her final round-robin match. Rybakina shed light on her desire to test herself against the World No. 1, who has yet to lose a match during her campaign.
The Kazakh acknowledged that Sabalenka would likely enter the clash with an air of confidence, given her exceptional season. However, Elena Rybakina emphasized that her own performance had been improving with each match in Riyadh, as she looked to push herself further against the Belarusian.
"She's been playing really well this year and she has a lot of confidence and it's going to be a difficult one definitely. But I feel that even today I played better than the last match so hopefully against her I can try to push myself a little bit more and we see how it goes. She's No. 1 now, so I want to enjoy and make it a bit difficult for her too."
"That's my motivation" - Aryna Sabalenka looks to seal year-end No. 1 by beating Elena Rybakina in WTA Finals clash
Although Aryna Sabalenka has already sealed her spot in the semifinals of the 2024 WTA Finals, she will not let her intensity drop against Elena Rybakina, since a 3-0 sweep in the group stage will allow her to seal the year-end World No. 1 ranking for the first time in her career.
Speaking after her commanding 6-3, 7-5 win over Jasmine Paolini, Sabalenka emphasized her determination to triumph against Rybakina, disclosing her "motivation" to come out on top in her battle with Iga Swiatek for year-end No. 1.
"Well, it's definitely, it's tricky, but you know, we're chasing here number one so I'm gonna just keep that in mind, and I want to go for all of the points possible. And that's my motivation right now, and yeah, advancement," Sabalenka said.
Aryna Sabalenka enjoys a 6-3 lead in her head-to-head record against Elena Rybakina. However, they have split the results of their meetings this season, with Rybakina claiming a 6-0, 6-3 victory in the Brisbane International final and the Belarusian winning 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(5) in the Madrid Open semifinals.