ROLAND GARROS

June 1, 2024

Elena Rybakina

Press Conference

E. RYBAKINA/E. Mertens

6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Elena, congratulations. Back into the second week here at Roland Garros in a straight-sets victory. Can you give us your keys to the match today.

ELENA RYBAKINA: Thank you. Yes, it's been tough match. I think, as always, my serve helps me a lot. In the second set I was more confident, so really happy with the performance.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I was just looking at your runs in previous years, and the last time that you reached the fourth round of this tournament you played against Serena Williams. I just wonder, you were a young player back then, what it was like in the lead-up to that match and what you remember about playing it.

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, I remember I was super nervous coming out on the court. It was a privilege to play against Serena. Yeah, I remember that after that she actually didn't play already many matches, so it was privilege to play against her.

Q. You've won Wimbledon. You've been to a final in Australia. If you don't mind me saying, you're among the favorites here. What do you think in five year's time will end up being your best surface for you to play on and why?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, I think I can play on all the surfaces. Of course, looking back to the results, grass I will say the favorite because it's fast. Hard court also good results in Australia and everything. I think I can play on all the surfaces well. Just always the question is being healthy.

Q. On that topic, how healthy would you say you are right now?

ELENA RYBAKINA: How what?

Q. How healthy are you right now? I mean, are you at 100% do you think in terms of your feeling, your preparations coming out of not being able to play in Rome?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yes. I mean, I've been struggling a bit with sleep, some issues. So, of course, I had to skip tournaments. Also allergies and everything.

Now I'm feeling pretty well and focused.

Q. I just wanted to follow up on that. This has obviously been something -- this time last year you had to pull out of the French Open with various things. Have you been going through processes in terms of trying to find out what's a deeper cause of maybe some of the things you've been going through?

ELENA RYBAKINA: No.

Q. Can I ask, sleep, what's been the difficulty with that?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I think everybody when they work a lot, it's not easy to sleep. Then the recovery is not the greatest. I think it's quite generous [ph.].

Q. Is it worse here in France than other places, or is it just a general thing?

ELENA RYBAKINA: It's a general thing.

Q. I just want to follow up on that. Obviously sleep is so important to all athletes but do you work with like a specific sleep expert or consultant, or is that part of just your normal medical team?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, guys, I think everybody faces some issues. It can be anything. So I don't know what to answer more on that.