ROLAND GARROS

June 6, 2021

Elena Rybakina

Press Conference

E. RYBAKINA/S. Williams

6-3, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. This is certainly a highlight of your young career. Can you just put into words how you feel about beating one of the greatest players that's ever played the game?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I'm so happy with the match today. Of course when I went on court I didn't expect anything. I just had set plan, which we discussed with my coach. I just tried to follow it. It worked out today.

I'm really happy and looking for the next match.

Q. You said that you were looking forward to playing Serena, you wanted to get a chance to play her for the first time. What did you make of the experience of facing her? When you talk about the game plan that you and Stefano came up with, what was the plan today?

ELENA RYBAKINA: So, I mean, we watched matches of Serena of course. We tried to make her play from the backhand side more, just because she has open stance. With open stance and, like, two hands, it's difficult to move the ball, so I tried to attack this side.

Sometimes I was stuck too much to the forehand. That's why I was losing points, because forehand is better not to even play there it's so good.

Yes, and of course to hold my serve, to mix it up, yeah, that's the plan, try to move and attack, because she plays aggressive but also, I mean, it's difficult for her now also after she has a baby and everything, so I had to, like, step in and just try to move and get some shorter balls to finish the point.

Q. Next for you is Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova who also had a big win today beating another former World No. 1. What are your thoughts going into that match when you have to play Pavlyuchenkova?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I also never played against her, and that's a bit (indiscernible) because we also play doubles together. We are good team, good atmosphere.

But, yeah, for the match after tomorrow, we come on court to work, and, I mean, I'm gonna discuss again the tactic and everything with my coach. For sure I have to serve well again because it's my advantage, and then we see how it goes.

Q. Just out of curiosity, when did you first see Serena play a match? What was the experience like compared to what you imagined when you were out there against her?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I don't remember exactly, because when I was small of course I was watching her matches on TV. So many Grand Slams. I was following can't say exactly the match, but during my young ages I was watching and expecting -- I mean, it's difficult to expect anything, because you watch on TV and that's completely different when you come on court and you feel the power and everything.

I knew that the serve was going to be difficult for me to return. She's powerful, but I was ready. Then after few points I felt it comfortable, so nothing.

Q. What did it feel like when you woke up this morning and got out of your bed and you thought to yourself, I've got to go out to Roland Garros today and try to beat Serena?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I mean, the end goal is always to win the tournaments and dream and go of course to win the Grand Slam.

So every time I step in on court I try not to think against who I play. Just try to do my work, follow the plan which we have. If it works well, I'm winning, and if it's not, I'm just learning from the matches. It's all like experience for me.

Q. Obviously a very strong player and you have a good ranking, but this is your biggest Grand Slam result so far to get this far. Why do you think this is happening now?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I think it could maybe happen even earlier, because I really had good last year. Also, I was feeling so good in the beginning of the year, first tournament. I was feeling that maybe it's coming the second week of a Grand Slam that I can do it. I believed.

Just then, after I had some issues with health and all these lockdowns, it was difficult to manage everything. But the most important is to be healthy and have time to practice and prepare for the tournaments, so that's what we did now.

Q. You're notorious or famous for having a very even-keeled, unemotional reaction to your wins. You know, we kind of laugh about it a little bit, but we were curious as to whether you would react today, and you didn't, but I'm curious what was going on through your head, through your heart, your gut, when you were able to secure not just a win over Serena but also a quarterfinal at Roland Garros?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I mean, everybody laughs about my reactions, to be honest, but I mean, for me it's much easier like this, not to show any reactions.

But of course inside it's like a lot of different emotions. I'm happy. I'm really calm person, but on top of this, all my nerves inside sometimes is good. Sometimes of course it's not, because to hold everything inside it's not possible. One day it's going to explode, and who knows when, so it's dangerous for other people, especially close ones.

But of course I was super happy, but I believed that I can do it, so the end goal is to win. I just try to forget now about this match and keep on focusing for another one.

Q. You have what we call, in English, looks like easy power. The ball flies off your racquet with great pace. Has that always been the case since you began playing the game? Why do you think you have that?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I think because I'm tall, of course, and actually I was hitting like this hard and fast since I'm young. But of course before it was many more mistakes, many more wrong decisions. So I'm trying to work on it.

But it was always like this. I was hitting hard, and this is my advantage.

Q. You just talked about the easy power, but of this press conference you also talked about your strategy against Serena and seems like it's really well planned and you have achieved it quite well. Do you think that kind of like analyzing your opponent, making good tactic, making good plan, good tactics, is also your strength?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I mean, I do it not by myself, with my coach. Yeah, of course it's important to come on court with a set plan, know the tactic.

Also, it's not easy because maybe you know how to play against the opponent, but are you capable of doing it? So it's also difficult just to go with some plan. That's why coach is helping, because he knows what is your advantage, what is not. So this kind of communication is really important.

Q. Just to clarify, because you said you had some health issues during this year, can you talk about what happened with you?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I mean, I don't really want to talk about my health issues, but I can say that it was not easy like for everybody I think, but after a hard lockdown in Australia it was tough. After it, I felt these health issues, which maybe I had in the past but I felt it much more. It was really tough 14 days in the room without air, you know.

So, yeah. I'm feeling much better, working physically and is good now.

Q. I think about a year ago or a little bit more than a year ago when you were talking about rising up the rankings, a lot of it you said was because you had finished school and you were deciding whether to go to college or to play tennis, and your parents wanted you to go to school because this can be a tough and expensive pursuit to play professional tennis. I'm wondering how much have you talked to your family since that decision? With the success you have had on tour and then now obviously with this result, it seems to justify maybe putting off college for a little bit longer.

ELENA RYBAKINA: I mean, we talk with the parents. Of course they are supporting a lot. They actually wanted me to play tennis also because they saw my results. They saw my game. So they believed. It was not easy, because we needed some help also, it was not easy decision, but they believed.

Now they are just happy for my results and supporting me.