OMNIUM BANQUE NATIONALE

August 6, 2025

Elena Rybakina

Press Conference

V. MBOKO/E. Rybakina

1-6, 7-5, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Of course, not the result you wanted today, but just looking at your run here to the semifinals, how much confidence does it give you heading into the US Open and Cincinnati?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, it was tough match, but overall I think successful week for me. Slowly getting better on the court, so yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. After winning the first set the way you won it, did you expect Victoria to answer back the way she did?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, of course, I knew that she's tough opponent. It's very often when some players, they need just time to get back to get used to the shots also of mine.

I felt like when first set was close in each game, so I didn't start well from the beginning, and there, of course, where things changed around.

Q. I think it was a very tight match. What do you think made the difference in that third set?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I think that she served really well in these important moments. The first serve was going very... For my side I think in these important moments I was going with the second, which of course, not giving me confidence in the rallies since I'm the one who likes to dictate. Of course, this is where I was a little bit down.

Overall I think it was very close match, like big fight. So it could go any way, but went hers. I think she played also really well.

Q. How difficult was it to play in that atmosphere when the crowd is so in favor of your opponent and even cheering your mistakes sometimes?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, that wasn't nice, of course. I played in a lot of situations where the crowd was supporting the player, but I would say that here it was pretty tough from very beginning. I already felt it from the first game we played, and especially when it's in between the serves.

It is what it is. This is something I was kind of expecting, and definitely it didn't depend anyhow on my serve or in the mistakes I did or wrong choices.

It was obvious that the crowd is going to cheer for their player.

Q. Did you notice something different in her game since your last match at Washington?

ELENA RYBAKINA: I mean, there is no big changes from one week to another, but definitely it's different conditions here and different round we play. It's not beginning of the tournament. So, of course, everybody gets kind of confidence throughout the tournament, and I think she played well.

Even in Washington it was a tough match. No matter the score, it was a lot of games, again, where it was very close. Just today it was for her.