THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 5, 2025

Elena Rybakina

Press Conference

C. TAUSON/E. Rybakina

7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Tough loss today. If you could just sum up the match this afternoon.

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, definitely not the result I wanted. Not the way I wanted to play, of course. Was tough day for me. But, yeah, tried to take only positive from this tournament and prepare for the next ones.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Obviously it was really a close first set. There was a rain delay. Do you think that gave a better way for Clara to go in and play like that afterwards? What do you think? How did it affect the match?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I think it was very close. Before the rain and after we came back on the court, I had chances to win the first set also, but again, it was too many unforced errors from my side. The serve was not there at all, and it's very difficult for me to play, of course, without the serve.

She played well. I think she adjusted to conditions a bit better with the serve and also some slices from her side. So it's tough to comment when I know it was too many mistakes from my side and very bad decision in some moments.

Q. Did sort of the way Clara Tauson played -- and she used the slice a lot, and she did seem to return particularly well using that chip return. Did that surprise you a little bit the way she sort of played?

ELENA RYBAKINA: No, I know that she has this kind of variety in her game. I feel it's just, again, some decision from my side was bad.

Of course, some great shots she did. Nothing to take from her, but from my side it was far from good level.

Q. Since working with Davide, I just wondered if you have consulted with him after the match already and what he thought. Also, what you've been working on in particular, please?

ELENA RYBAKINA: No, we didn't speak yet. This is something we're going to do later.

Q. What have you been working on since working with him, please?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, was coming not from my best period, so I needed kind of get more matches in and try to get more confidence. Basically same thing as always. Try to be more stable. Physically I was also, even after preseason, still not in the good level. So it takes time.

We try to build and for me be back on the level I was. I think now it's getting better, but still not there yet.

Q. As a former champion, do you think you might have been on Centre Court or Court 1 today rather than Court 2?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I was expected probably Court 1, but when I saw that it's Court 2, I mean, nothing I can do in this situation, of course. It's much nicer to play on Court 1 or Centre, but there are still a lot of seeded players.

Not first time I got to play on another court. It's same court for everyone, same for my opponent, so it didn't matter in the end.

Q. Is it a bit disappointing because you would have had the roof as well if you were on Centre Court and wouldn't have had that big break?

ELENA RYBAKINA: If there is a roof, of course, it's much easier because you know that you won't stop. Again, it was the same for me and for her. That's for sure difference from Court 1 or Centre Court, the other courts.

For me it was a bit tough today since the court was a bit softer under than the other courts, and all her drop shots and just slices were working well. For me it was tough to adjust.

Q. So far seeds have been falling and falling, and former champions have been falling, too. Right now only Barbora is still in, and she's in the middle of a tough match. What do you make of all this, both for your own challenge when you're a former champion and for the others, in this tournament?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, every year is different and different opponents you play. So, of course, grass is very unpredictable. It's very short season. Not everyone gets to adjust quick.

Again, every year is different. For now I think it's long time. No one won it more than once lately. Hopefully it's going to happen soon, but as I said, it's just very different from all the other surfaces.

Q. You obviously know what it takes to go all the way here in Wimbledon. Do you think Clara Tauson has the qualities to go all the way?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, I think it all depends how she feels physically. Also, because she had some tough matches before. Every day is different.

If she brings her best tennis, probably she has chances, definitely, to go far. But again, still a lot of tough players. I wish her to do well, and then we just see.