Elena Rybakina Flirts with Jannik Sinner: Her Message to the Italian Player

Elena Rybakina, the new world No. 1, has reached the US Open final after defeating American Coco Gauff in three sets: she will now face the “Tiger of Minsk,” Aryna Sabalenka, in the final of the American Grand Slam. Because of her reserved and calm demeanor—she always seems calm and composed on the court, even after victories—many have compared her to men’s No. 1 Jannik Sinner.

At the press conference, she was asked precisely about this—and in particular about a recent statement by the South Tyrolean champion regarding the storm he feels inside when he plays (“I try to hide it because I don’t want my opponent to see what I’m thinking”). “It’s true, there are a lot of emotions to manage, and I try to hide them,” Rybakina admitted. “I don’t want my opponent to see my frustration when something goes wrong. The best thing I did in those moments was to turn to my team in the box and let it all out; they listened to me.”

Now she’ll face Aryna Sabalenka in the final: “I’ll have to give it my all, bring my best serve against Aryna, and make the right decisions at the right time, because it’ll be a very, very close match.”

Rybakina tries not to think about the WTA rankings: “I’m number one, but right now it’s just a number. It’s a great achievement, and I think I’ll appreciate it even more once my career is over. For now, I have to keep moving forward. I want to win tournaments, and all my thoughts are focused on the next match.”