MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 3, 2024

Elena Rybakina

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/E. Rybakina

1-6, 7-5, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Bad luck, but can you talk about the positives of the match?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, I think we showed good tennis. Of course it's pity to lose. I mean, I still have this ball on top of the net at 5-4, 30-All. Of course it's pity when you have this opportunity.

But, yeah, Aryna played well. Even in the second set she raised the level from the first one, so it was not easy, but yeah, it is what it is.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Despite the loss, you played a good tournament, some good tennis. Next week you're going to Rome where you are defending champion. How do you feel about?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, for me, important now to take some days off, for sure, then to try to get used to the conditions there in Rome, because of course the ball is going to fly different and just to feel the courts and everything.

But I played well last year, so hopefully I'm gonna feel good that week. I'm struggling usually with allergies exactly in Rome, and last year I was very lucky with the rain. But, yeah, hopefully I'm gonna be same lucky, and also, we were trying to improve these kind of things, so hopefully I'm going to feel good in Rome.

Q. With the title in Stuttgart and the semifinals here, you do consider it's a great start of clay season?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, definitely a great start of clay. Even despite the loss today, I think I played really well. I was doing everything correct. It's just really couple of points the difference.

So, yeah, for now I'm happy with the level and how I physically feel on the court. Yeah, hopefully I can maintain and to even improve something in these next couple of days.

Q. Congrats on a very good tournament. In the first set you seemed to be serving incredibly well. Your first-serve percentage was quite high. It started to dip as the match went on. How much of that was fatigue, which I presume, I mean, you were tired in the last match, so I assume you were a little tired today, but if maybe she made any adjustments at all that you saw in the second and third sets that made the serving a little bit more tough?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, I think of course there is fatigue. I was keeping the level in the first set, and in the second it dropped a little bit. Then also it was a change of new balls, and it's not easy to control so she got opportunity. She was playing a little bit better, putting pressure, was missing less.

So the second set was a little bit tighter, I would say, and of course my percentage went down, so she was feeling better on the court. It was giving her confidence.

Then in the third set I started to bring back the serve. That's why it was already different game also, but, I mean, it was such a close match that I can't really comment much.

I had the opportunity 5-4, of course, but the rest was really close. She played really well. She stayed aggressive in the second and in the third set.

Q. You have played Iga last week. You have played Aryna this night. Do you have a bet for the final?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Honestly, it's tough to say, because Aryna won last year, so she definitely likes the courts. But I think Iga is in a good shape also. She was playing well this tournament. So it's tough to predict.

I don't know what's the score between them, but I think it's going to be definitely a good match (smiling).

Q. You mentioned the forehand on top of the net. What was actually going through your mind there? Were you aiming for one direction and changed your mind? Also, how good is it to have this rivalry with Aryna and also Iga pushing each other to be better?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Nothing honestly going through the mind. I mean, it was just a regular ball. I think that I choose the correct angle and everything. It's just I went for too much and it went wide.

Then just a second ball, I think it's not easy to switch like this. I served second serve also very well, like she was out of the court and down the line, but she returned heavy, so it was not easy to change the direction down the line.

But, yeah, and from that of course the momentum shifted, and she felt more confident. She went for the next game.

Yeah, I mean, I was feeling that she raised the level in the second set, and I also didn't stay maybe aggressive in some moments, maybe playing a bit too passive. I should have maybe stepped in a bit more, but as I said, it's just, it was too close (smiling).

Q. And how good is it to have this rivalry with you pushing each other?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I think it's good. After all these tough matches, you kind of see where you need to improve and what you could have done better.

I think it's a good thing to analyze always. As you say and I always say, that we push each other, and I think that's great. We push each other to improve.

I was trying to come to the net more often. Maybe I should have done it a bit more in the third set, but I mean, this is something to improve and work on.