ROLAND GARROS

May 30, 2025

Elena Rybakina

Press Conference

E. RYBAKINA/J. Ostapenko

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: A win today in straight sets over a former champion here. Can you give us your thoughts on your performance today.

ELENA RYBAKINA: Thank you. Was tough match. I was expecting that battle. I think I played really well. It was hot today, so the ball was flying quite a lot. But I managed it.

Pretty happy with the win.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Obviously your next match is against Swiatek. How do you prepare differently to meet an opponent as comfortable on this court as she is?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, yeah, of course she's very comfortable on these courts. But I think every day, every match is different. Obviously I will try to focus on myself mostly. We played so many times. I know what to do.

We'll see how it goes. But definitely I will do my best.

Q. Talk about the weather, the temperature, how the ball flies. Talk about what kind of conditions do you prefer to play in.

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, it depends because also the courts are a little bit different from each other. I played on Simonne Mathieu. It was night, so the ball was not going that much. The feeling was different from today's match, of course.

Probably when it's warmer, it's better. But again, it depends. Sometimes on the court might be such a tough shade, which when we started the match was a little bit tricky. So you need to be prepared for everything and find a way no matter the conditions are.

Q. I don't play tennis. We don't play on Chatrier or Suzanne Lenglen. Can you talk a little bit about how big difference is it? Very different or kind of adjustable?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I felt on Simonne Mathieu other day played the match, it was not so much clay as it was on Lenglen today. Of course, just because I didn't even have the chance to hit on Lenglen, it's different around the seats and everything, so it needed some time to adjust with eyes also a bit.

Of course it's different if it's smaller court or big stadium.

Q. I would like to ask also about the next match. You played with Iga two times on clay, Rome and Stuttgart. How can you describe these matches on clay in other surfaces?

ELENA RYBAKINA: It's tough to play against Iga on clay. She spins the ball really well. She has unbelievable intensity on the court, so it is not easy.

But I feel like Stuttgart, it's special tournament because it's indoor. The clay is also different. In Rome, it was again another condition, so I cannot take it as everything is the same.

It's tough opponent. She plays really well. She moves really well on the court. So it's going to be difficult one.