PORSCHE TENNIS GRAND PRIX

April 21, 2024

Elena Rybakina

Press Conference

E. RYBAKINA/M. Kostyuk

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Elena, congratulations. Your third title of the season. You just must be so happy with your results this week.

ELENA RYBAKINA: Thank you. I'm really happy with all the matches I played here throughout the week, especially in the final. Was very solid from me.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You saved the best for the last, I guess. You had some probably slow starts in the previous matches. Today you started incredibly well. Did you have the feeling that today was going to be different, the start of the match?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, I knew that I have to be focused from the beginning, and also, compare the match with Iga, it's a lot different. Marta is coming forward, trying to take the ball early. She moves well. But still, the speed is different, and I was focusing not to rush, also to try to open the angle.

Also sometimes the ball is coming slow, and you kind of think that you can hit through, but in the end, it's very difficult conditions here. So I was trying just to be patient, and yeah, I think I did a really good job from the beginning till the end.

Q. Third title, and you lead the tour in titles and wins after Stuttgart. What is the thing that makes you the most proud of these first four months of the season for you?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I think just the consistency, of course, and how I'm managing to play all these tournaments till the end, because it's really tough with the schedule which we have, with all the jet lags and changes of the surface.

Just overall it's been a lot of matches, and I'm happy that for now I'm managing to fight through all these tough matches and be able to be in the finals.

Q. You know, you had that very, very difficult three-tournament swing through the Middle East, just a lot of matches, from Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, and Miami you were playing a lot of those long matches. Do you feel like that experience of kind of pushing your body that hard physically is kind of paying off? It felt like this week, even though you played so many three-set matches, you seemed quite fresh despite the fact that...

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, honestly, when I woke up today, I didn't feel fresh. First few steps, everything was in pain (smiling). But I think you kind of also get used to this kind of soreness.

I would say since I was sick in Indian Wells I didn't play for, like, 10 days before Miami. Of course it's not ideally to come to the tournament and just push yourself physically all these matches. These matches are easier when you know you had a good block of preparation.

As I said before, I think throughout these long matches, if I'm managing to win it, I'm also getting fitter. So it's kind of 50/50. Of course you don't want to be injured, and it's better to be prepared 100%, but now also my preparation was a little bit short for clay season, but I had really great matches here. So, yeah, I think that's a good start on clay season, and hopefully I can continue like this and I will have all this patience for all these long rallies and long matches for the rest of the tournaments.

Q. You won Rome last year on this surface, and now you have won Stuttgart. Two big, big tournaments on clay. Do you believe in your heart that you could win the French Open this year?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, I always believe in myself, of course, but it's not only depends on me. There is a lot of great players, tough opponents.

But I know if I feel fresh, if I'm physically ready, healthy, I'm playing my game, of course I have all the chances to win Grand Slam on any surface.

Q. Marta played a lot of tennis this week, more than 10 hours. Does that play a role in your preparation to know she can be tired today? Do you play different then, or is it just your game?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Of course I knew that she's going to be tired. If I feel already quite destroyed in the morning before the final, I can imagine how tough it is for her after so many tough matches (smiling).

She's very athletic. She has very good body, and physically she's strong. But I saw her, of course. It's not easy after all these matches. So I knew if something goes wrong on the match, I still gotta fight and then it's going to be depends a lot physically how we can push.

Q. Do you know if you might come back to Germany for the grass court season, Berlin, Bad Homburg, whatever?

ELENA RYBAKINA: We were actually talking with the coach. I think, yes, I'm going to play Berlin and maybe Bad Homburg. We are still deciding, but of course I want to play a lot of tournaments on grass since it's my favorite surface for now (smiling).

Q. The car, do you keep it? Are you going to give it to your sister? What are you going to do with the car without a license?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, I don't know yet (smiling). For sure I will drive it around, and we are thinking to have it in Dubai. So it's going to be for sure Stefano driving, maybe my mom, hopefully me soon. So yeah (smiling).