THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 10, 2024

Elena Rybakina

Press Conference

E. RYBAKINA/E. Svitolina

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Elena, back in the semifinals at Wimbledon. You must be feeling good right now.

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, really happy to be in the semifinal and also the way I played today. Looking forward for tomorrow's match.

Q. You're the only person left who has won this title. How much of an advantage do you think that will give you?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, of course it gives some confidence, but the same time it's something which already passed. Everybody wants to win. Everybody's going to fight. I will try not to think about the past and just focus on the next match.

Q. How did it feel to be watched by Queen Camilla in the Royal Box today?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Oh, wow, I didn't even saw it. That's amazing, of course.

Q. You hit 28 winners today. How are you feeling on court?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, I played really well. Today maybe the serve percentage was not as high as the previous matches. On the baseline I was playing pretty well and felt the ball also good.

Pretty happy with the performance.

Q. In Paris you talked about you having some issues with your sleep. You seem to be playing so much better. Has your sleep improved since then?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, it did. Thanks (smiling).

Q. You've got Barbora Krejcikova in the semifinals. Do you have any memories of your previous two matches, which you both lost in three sets?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yes, I lost in three sets. Once it was in Australia when we had third set tiebreak. It was super windy. One in indoor, Ostrava.

She's great player. I think she has really good hands. I didn't really saw yet against who she played here. I think she's pretty confident. Also playing doubles here.

It's going to be tough match, for sure.

Q. How different do you feel to the person who made the semifinals here for the first time two years ago?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, back then of course I was not expecting to be that far in the draw. Now with all the experience and with the time which passed of course I come and I want to be in this stage of the tournament.

Yeah, just much more experienced player for sure now and know what to do. But there is nerves every time you go on the court. This is still the same, but I think I'm managing much better than before.

Q. In what way do you know what to do?

ELENA RYBAKINA: What exactly?

Q. What has changed? What do you know now that you didn't know then?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, I think it's just a little bit of everything, how to approach the matches, how to even do the maybe practices in between.

I think it's a lot of things which comes all together.

Q. You spoke of the confidence Barbora has. How would you describe the confidence you have with the experience of having won here and with the way you're playing right now?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, definitely I'm feeling pretty well on the court, especially last three matches. I think I showed really good tennis. Sometimes serve can be off, but then the groundstrokes are really well. I'm playing pretty confident.

As we all know, sometimes you wake up and something can happen. Hopefully nothing is going to happen tomorrow. For sure I will try to stay focused and show the same tennis.

Q. What do you consider right now what you're doing that's most effective?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I think staying really aggressive from the first shots. Definitely I think my return improved. Yeah, the serve is helping me, even though today maybe not as high percentage. But in important moments, I served it out, so...

Q. Obviously coming into this year's semis as the overwhelming favorite, the only person who have won the tournament, how are you managing that pressure compared to how it was for you in 2022? Do you feel it much more?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, I think it's only you guys telling me that I'm the only one left who won this tournament. I don't really think about it so much.

In 2022 I was definitely more nervous than now. It was the first time for me to play on Centre Court. It was a lot of people, a lot of attention.

Now, of course, I got used to it a little bit. I'm taking these matches in a different way.

Q. There was a period where you won 10 points on serve in a row. You were in a rhythm. When you're in that kind of rhythm, are you even thinking, or is it just instinctive or a flow?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I think it's more as a flow, of course. If it's going, you don't want to really take much time in between. You want to continue.

I would say just flow more, yeah.

Q. You said you improved your returning. Have you done anything specific?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, every time we change the surface, I talk with the coach where it's better to stay. Also depends on the opponent, how she serves, for example. Try to analyze in which moments where she goes, so on. Just try to read the toss, also these little details.

I think now I'm picking up these things a little bit better than before.

Q. You're trying not to think about the past, but is there ever a point where you start thinking maybe you could actually win Wimbledon again?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, of course this is something I want to achieve, I want to do again. It's getting closer, but still there is two matches, tough opponents left.

Again, it's just match by match. For now it was working well, so I'm trying to continue with this mentality.