PORSCHE TENNIS GRAND PRIX

April 17, 2026

Elena Rybakina

Quick Quotes

E. RYBAKINA/L. Fernandez

6-7, 6-4, 7-6

Q. Elena, you had some really tough battles with Leylah in the past. What do you think made it so challenging tonight, and how were you able to overcome her tonight?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, I think the biggest challenge is that it's just the second match on clay, and I didn't start the match well. Leylah, she's a fighter, she always tries to play fast, take time from you. We know each other pretty well.

Start of the match wasn't the greatest from my side, and the serve was not working. So of course it was difficult to always chase, but I'm happy that in the second set it was couple of tight points which I won, and somehow won the second set and just stayed there, kept on fighting.

I had a lot of opportunities after to close the games quicker, but it was a struggle. But in the end, everything went my way, which I'm really happy with.

Q. Tomorrow you're going to play at 4:00. What is your recovery looking like now with a long match tonight? Recovery for tomorrow, what's the plan?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, the most important, I guess, to try to sleep in. I will have my treatment, and yeah, just fight tomorrow. It's been difficult match, but I think it's good that I played plenty of rallies, plenty of hours on the court, and it's good for the next tournaments also. So I will just try to do my best and, yeah, fight.

Q. You saved some match points tonight. How was it being under that pressure situation when you know everything is on the line? Basically talk us through those match points.

ELENA RYBAKINA: It was pretty tight the whole third set. I was just trying to play a point at a time, because I had also opportunities to maybe lead in the tiebreak, and then I was up in certain situations, but yeah, just was thinking to play point at a time, and when it was my serve, just to put all the energy I have into this one serve.

Q. Thoughts on facing Mirra tomorrow. What does she do well, and what are you going to have to do well to compete?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, she has a pretty good serve and a really good backhand. And she moves, does the game well, and she's a tough opponent now coming with a lot of confidence, a lot of matches on clay.

I will try to focus on myself, on my serve, because today it wasn't really great, especially in the first set. So the serve will be the priority. And of course try to move and be as fresh as possible.