US OPEN

August 29, 2025

Elena Rybakina

Press Conference

E. RYBAKINA/E. Raducanu

6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Convincing win. Your thoughts on the match.

ELENA RYBAKINA: Thank you. Yeah, today was good performance for me. Always not easy to play against Emma. Even sometimes score doesn't show, but I know that against her I need to play very aggressive and also try to play deep.

So today I think I did pretty well, so happy.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You must be quite pleased. You've been playing quite well consistently throughout the three rounds. Can you tell us how you feel in general and where you believe your tennis is in this tournament?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, today I played really well, and the last two matches also was some tricky moments in the second round in the second set, but overall I think here I'm playing pretty well.

Serve is working. Not always, of course, but this is something to still work on, because deeper you go in the tournament, tougher opponents get. I need to take at least what is in my control.

I think for now physically also I've been feeling well. So yeah, pretty happy with the way the tournament going so far.

Q. Today was a notable step up I thought in your performance than the previous round. Emma kind of said she thinks the top players have a bit of a point to prove against her. Is that something in your mind going into the match, the quality she has and how well you really had to play today?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, I think that first matches, they're always tough. Plus, the opponents I played, I didn't know much about them. Never played before.

With Emma, we practiced also couple times. As I said, I know that she's tough opponent. She's been playing really well. So, of course, it's different kind of focused.

I knew that I need to stay on top of the rallies, because she is moving really well. If you give a chance, she will move the ball also. So yeah, I was trying to just stay aggressive, go for my shots, and play deep.

Couple of times it was also a bit lucky for my side. I was playing really deep and on the lines, which is very difficult, of course, to play back.

Yeah, I think, of course, it's all about mindset. Now I think there is, as I said, only tough opponents that you need to always try to bring your best.

Q. Next round it would be either Paolini or Vondrousova. Can you tell us a few things about both of them?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, both are tricky. I will say Marketa, she's lefty, so it's a little bit different adaptation, like, for the match.

Jasmine, she's also playing really well, last season, this season too. She tries to play fast, take time from the opponent. We also practice here before the tournament.

Yeah, it's not going to be easy no matter who it's going to be, but I will try definitely to focus on my serve again, because this is where I can get either free point or be dominate in the rally, so yeah.

Then, of course, speak with my team as always, try to make some plans, and hopefully it will work for me.

Q. You've look noticeably healthier. You had your health issues at the end of last year. I'm just wondering how the situation with Stefano, you know, the split last year and then the banner of this year, how that affected you health-wise in terms of the insomnia and issues?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, yeah, I had big issues with insomnia, but I think like 2023, the whole year was pretty tough for me. I played a lot, and we had different schedule. I was playing a lot night sessions, and we didn't have that rule yet that you cannot go on court after 11:00. So I've been playing a lot and, as I said, many night matches. With Billie Jean King Cup this season was kind of long.

Of course, coming to the next season 2024, I started again pretty well, and it was so many tournaments. I was playing until the end almost. So my insomnia was there, and I was struggling almost the whole year.

But now it's much better. Now I have no issues, which I'm pretty happy. Yeah, this year I tried with a new coach. Didn't work out in the beginning, so the results were not the same as previous years, but for now I think we are managing and getting closer to where I want to be.

Physically also doing I think pretty good job. Of course, it's not much time you have in between tournaments, but overall I'm happy how the work is going right now.

Yeah, things definitely in the box definitely helps a lot, and I think it's important when the whole team can support you.

Q. Given that, do you feel kind of healthier and better in your mind with having him in your team from a personal sense as well as a technical sense, I suppose?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, I never had any issues with him, so for me, as I said, it's just nice to see him in the box. We obviously have good communication, and we never had issue, so...