Elena Rybakina at the US Open: Her 5 aspects of focus
When I’m on court I’m really focused, especially when serving. I try not to be distracted by anything
“I think that the support the US players get over here is fantastic,” Rybakina says. “The atmosphere is crazy. It’s very loud everywhere. At the same time, the crowd can turn on you. It happened to me a few years ago. Normally they go with the underdog or the Americans. That makes it not too easy. But I actually like playing in front of US fans very much.”Apart from the crowd’s presence and support, Rybakina mentions a key factor that Americans pride themselves on showcasing. “That is one of the reasons why they always perform well at the US Open: the competitiveness.”But Rybakina, one of the fiercest competitors in the world, is no stranger to leveraging her competitive spirit, which she thinks can also translate to life off the court. “We all are competitors. This comes from a young age for most of the players. I also think that if you have this mental toughness on the court you are more or less the same person off the court. You have it in real life as well. It can be helpful,” she says.The US Open is unlike any of the other slam tournaments. In New York, planes thunder above the area, the smell of food is everywhere and the spectators often move around between rallies.These constant distractions make the mental part of the game even more important. For Rybakina, this means blocking out the noise is vital. “When I’m on court I’m really focused, especially when serving. I try not to be distracted by anything. I speak to myself, saying ‘concentrate on the balls, look at your opponent and do not care about the noisy surroundings.’ It’s a lot about balancing these things.“If the match is not going your way and the fans are behind you, I try to open myself and let their positive emotions flow into my head.”While the atmosphere at the US Open can be intimidating, that has not stopped the tournament from being a favourite among players. And that is particularly true of Rybakina.“I always look forward to coming to New York as my best friend lives here. At least once a year I have the chance to see her and it’s always great fun. We talk a lot and sometimes go out for dinner. I don’t have much time during the US Open but this year I definitely want to see more than only Manhattan” she says.Last year was not easy for me... this time I feel more experienced, I know what is expected of me
Rybakina will also have her family with her in New York and is determined to show them some of the city’s most famous landmarks. “It’s the first time my mother and my sister are with me here in New York and we want to have a good time together. I would love to see the Statue of Liberty. That’s one of my goals - apart from playing successful tennis.”The US Open is notorious for its late-night matches, which frequently finish well after midnight. This year, there will again be two matches per night session. Playing at such late hours, with the exertion needed to compete at this level, can cause imbalances in the players’ biorhythms; which is something that Rybakina is acutely aware of.“I like to play more in the evening but of course not late at night. I had this experience two weeks ago in Montreal. It was so tough for my mind and my body,” she asserts.Players have little time to sit around after a win. The next match likely awaits them in a 24 to 48-hour period, and playing at night makes the recovery process much more challenging: “You are running out of time given the fact that you have to play the next day again. There is not enough time for recovery. At the US Open we will always have one day off after matches. That makes it a bit easier, but still, hopefully I can avoid it.”At the US Open, one of Rybakina’s major focus points will be feeling fully healthy again after the injuries that held her back prior to her arrival in New York. However, she has become used to dealing with injuries. “All my injuries are a result of becoming a professional tennis player at a relatively late stage of my career. Not many people know that I started practising professionally around the age of 17,” reveals Rybakina. “Before that, I only practised within groups.”Even though Rybakina started playing tennis at five years old, the necessary further steps to improve her game and become a professional didn’t come until much later: “I didn’t have a private coach. I also went to school and had to balance it. My fitness level couldn’t be at the highest point. So I think a few injuries I am now experiencing are coming from the past. I also needed to know how my body works. But it is like it is, you cannot control it. There are a lot of changes in tennis,” she explains.I always look forward to coming to New York as my best friend lives here
Already in her seventh season on the WTA Tour, despite being only 24 years old, there is a frequent change in tennis that can become a potential cause for injuries. Rybakina explains: “The balls are different from tournament to tournament. This can have an effect on your body as well. What I’ve learned from my coaches and physios is that my body is very sensitive to all these things.”Entering this year’s tournament injury-free, Rybakina is also feeling more relaxed when compared to last year. In 2022, she entered the US Open having won her maiden Grand Slam title at Wimbledon and was under pressure to perform in New York. “Last year was not easy for me,” she explains. “There was a lot of attention on me as a person. New things were happening around me. I needed to understand all this and I didn’t have a good preparation for the US Open. This time I feel more experienced, I know what is expected of me. It’s much easier so that gives me a good and positive feeling.”
