Rybakina remains unstoppable

ROME  — Elena Rybakina emerged as one of the best players in the world this year and she certainly proved that at the Italian Open winning.

It wasn’t the perfect celebration because the win did come after retirement but nonetheless, it was further proof that the Kazakh player’s Wimbledon triumph last year was not a fluke.

It’s the second Master’s trophy she won this year and the 3rd final she played after Indian Wells and Miami, the latter was a loss against Kvitova.

She has reached the Italian Open final or better at three of this year’s five WTA 1000 events, posting a 19-2 win-loss record at this level. Before this year, her career win-loss record at WTA 1000 tournaments was 25-17.

Overall, Rybakina has notched 28 match-wins this year, only one victory behind tour-leading Aryna Sabalenka’s 29. Compare that with 2022, where it took Rybakina until August to win 28 matches, including the Wimbledon title.

“I’m proud that I can maintain this level,” Rybakina said after adding the clay-court Rome crown to her WTA 1000 Indian Wells hard-court title. “It’s not easy, with all the scheduling, traveling. I think we’re doing a good job with the team. I can see improvements on the court, physically also. I think we’re on a right way.”

Rybakina now reaches the Top 5 of the Hologic WTA Tour singles rankings for the first time, rising from No.6 to No.4. Rybakina also solidifies her spot at No.2 in the Race to the WTA Finals. She is only 564 points behind leader Sabalenka.

Her previous career-high came after Indian Wells and it was number 7 on the rankings.

She would have been ranked higher if her Wimbledon triumph a few years ago counted but it didn’t due to the ban on Russian and Belarussian players. Her tally right now stands at 5090 points, a bit more than Caroline Garcia at number 5 who has 5025.

Anhelina Kalinina, meanwhile, came into Rome on a four-match losing streak and her ranking had dipped from a career-high No.28 in March to No.47 when the tournament began.

In Rome, Kalinina surged to her second career final, becoming the second player from Ukraine to reach a WTA 1000 final since that tier started in 2009. The other Ukrainian to make WTA 1000 finals is two-time Rome champion Elina Svitolina.

Kalinina beat three Top 25 players in her run to the final. And just like that, Kalinina can now call herself a Top 25 player for the first time, as she will rise to a new career-high of No.25.

Despite retiring from the final with a thigh injury, Kalinina looked back on Rome fondly. “I’m most proud of my fighting spirit these two weeks,” she said.

“I was fighting despite the score, any situation, any weather conditions, opponents. Everyone was very tough. A serious draw”.