AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 28, 2023

Elena Rybakina

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/E. Rybakina

4-6, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Elena, perhaps not the trophy you wanted to lift tonight, but it was a terrific final. Perhaps to begin with, maybe you could tell us some of the emotions you're feeling right now.

ELENA RYBAKINA: Of course, not the result I wanted today. But I think overall it was a really good two weeks for me. Really tough match today.

So it's just motivation for the next tournaments.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I think I'm right in saying you'll be a top-10 player on Monday. Obviously you didn't get the points for the Grand Slam you did win. Have you always felt like a player in the top 10? Will tomorrow make a difference to you because you will be a top-10 player officially?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I don't think tomorrow I'm going to feel different just because of the ranking now. But, I mean, for sure it's going to be different on the smaller tournaments, I would say. I'm going to be seeded. Maybe in some tournaments I'm not going to play first round.

So of course there is some benefits out of this. But for sure I don't really look for the numbers ranking so much.

Q. You obviously were playing lights-out tennis in the opening set. What do you feel started to shift in the second set?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I think Aryna raise her level in the second set. She played really well, aggressive, a bit less mistakes. I should have been also more aggressive in some moments.

Yeah, I had some chances, for sure, to turn it around. But, yeah, she played really well today. She was strong mentally, physically.

Yeah, overall, as I said, it was a good two weeks for me here.

Q. With Sabalenka, what she's been through with her serve, the ability under pressure she had tonight, how much do you respect that? How hard is that for a player to achieve, to go from the place she was a year ago to serving under pressure like that in a big match?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, for sure she served really well today no matter the double-faults. Few second serves she hit probably as a first serve. She was really well, her serve.

For sure it's not easy mentally. She didn't have great serve last year, but now she was super strong and she served well.

For sure I respect that. I know how much work it takes.

Q. You won Wimbledon, you're in the finals here. Do you expect now to be playing at the end of these big tournaments all the time? Is that where you think you are as a player?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, if it's going to be like this, it's great. For sure, that's the goal, to be in the second week of all the Grand Slam, to play finals.

Yeah, I mean, now I have more confidence of course even after this final. Yeah, I just need to work hard, same as I did during pre-season and actually throughout the years, be healthy, and for sure the results are going to come.

Q. How important was it for you to get this second Grand Slam final so quickly after winning Wimbledon? Does it take some of the pressure off knowing you can do this again?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, for sure. Even I would say I'm trying to not think about expectations and everything. Still after a great pre-season like this I was thinking I should show it on the court. Then, of course, the results are going to be there.

As I said, first few weeks was not that great like maybe the other years I was starting. But, yeah, I think in the end it's just confidence to go forward, to keep on working. Yeah, I feel now good physically also. I know if I'm going to keep on working, the results are going to be.

Q. Could you explain a little bit what it's like to face Sabalenka's tennis compared to other players on the tour you faced?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I would say that not many girls can put me really under the pressure. Against her, it's not easy because she has a great serve and she plays really aggressive. Her ball is coming very heavy.

Yeah, there is maybe few girls who plays like this. I just know that I have to serve well. It's also pressure in the end. As soon as I have opportunity, take it. Today I had some opportunities. Didn't take. The match didn't go my way.

But, yeah, it's really tough opponent.

Q. In terms of the pre-season that you had, being able to get this result, having gone through the seven matches here, how are you feeling physically? How much confidence does that give you for the Middle East swing, Indian Wells and Miami?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Overall I was feeling good these two weeks, the tournaments before I played.

Today, after this match, at least now I can say that I have pain almost everywhere (smiling). I think that still it's good what we did during pre-season. For sure I will have maybe more time, more blocks, and I'm going to just feel much better every time after physical work, of course, if we keep working technique and all other aspects of my game.

Q. Did you find yourself under more pressure in your service games than you might have expected? Did that make things difficult for you as the match went on?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, of course. Aryna, she was returning really well. But also I felt same like with Vika when I played, that it was not easy to get the speed, like the high speed of the serve.

The balls were quite heavy. I knew if I'm not serving really fast, then it should be good placement. So, of course, it was kind of pressure in these moments. We played many games on my serve, really long games, like deuce/advantage.

But, as I said, I could have served maybe a bit better. It's just here and there a few moments, yeah, the match could turn around, but not today, not for me.

Q. Are you able to appreciate how quality that match was so soon after? What do you think a spectacle like that does for women's tennis in general?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, I think quality of the match was good. It was very powerful game from both of us. Well, I think it's just, as I said, not many powerful players there is on tour. Maybe this kind of pushing the other players to be more aggressive. Also conditions are all the time different.

Yeah, you need to adapt for sure for everything. To adapt to the speed, to the heaviness of the ball, is not easy. So I think, yeah, I don't know what to say any more, guys. I'm too tired (smiling).

I think it was good level in the end of the match, yeah.

Q. What challenge do you prefer more and why, playing somebody like Aryna who has a similar game to you, or do you like somebody that plays with spin, gives you slower balls?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I mean, depends on the conditions always. With Aryna now, the score is 0-4. I would say the most challenging for me is to play against Aryna again, and yeah, get a win. I would say against powerful player like her, I would play more to improve.