Moscow-born Rybakina wins Wimbledon women's singles title
9 July 2022, 16:05 | Updated: 9 July 2022, 16:55
Elena Rybakina has won the Wimbledon women's singles title by beating third seed Ons Jabeur in the final.
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The 23-year-old beat world Number one Ons Jabeur in three sets 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Her win comes the year that the All England Club's imposed a ban on Russian and Belarusian players after Putin's invasion of Ukraine but the tennis star was allowed to compete after switching represent Kazakhstan four years ago.
Rybakina's celebrations were understated to say the least, as she simply smiled and walked to the net to shake hands with Jabeur.
She sat on her chair shaking her head in disbelief before eventually climbing up to the players' box to be congratulated by her team.
Ons Jabeur won the first set but ybakina broke the Jabeur serve early in the second set and then saved four break points.
With errors creeping into Jabeur's game, another break put the 17th seed in control of the set which she clinched with an ace.
The third set was almost a carbon copy of the second, Rybakina breaking in the first game and then fending off another flurry of break points.
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Rybakina secured a double break for 5-2 and served out for a 3-6 6-2 6-2 victory.
The Duchess of Cambridge presented Jabuer with the runners-up plate and then handed Rybakina the famous Venus Rosewater dish.
Jabeur said: "First of all I want to congratulate Elena, she played amazing and she deserves this. Hopefully next time it will be mine.
"Elena stole my title but it's OK. I love this tournament. I feel really sad but in tennis there is only one winner. I'm trying to inspire people from my country. I hope they are listening."
But the fact the 23-year-old was born and raised in Moscow - she switched international allegiance in 2018 - has left an uncomfortable feeling for many in a year players representing Russia are banned from competing at the All England Club.
