Elena Rybakina, known for her powerful hitting on the WTA tour, recently opened up about her struggles on clay courts despite her success on other surfaces. The Kazakh player, who has won titles on clay before, admitted that she is not quite where she wants to be on this particular surface.
Rybakina’s career win percentage on clay is around 70 percent, which is close to her performance on hard courts but lower than on grass. Her style of play, which relies on power, does not always translate well to the slower, more nuanced clay courts.
During a press conference at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, where Rybakina made it to the semifinals, she acknowledged the challenges of adjusting to the clay season, which is shorter compared to other surfaces. She expressed her belief in her ability to perform well on clay but emphasized the need for more time to adapt and play matches.
In a related story, Nick Kyrgios, known for his upsets against the Big 3 of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic early in his career, reflected on his victories in a recent podcast episode. Kyrgios discussed the disbelief of the tennis greats at losing to him, especially when he was ranked outside the top 100. His wins against Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic gave him the belief that he could compete with the best in the world and make a mark on the tennis scene.