"Adidas never respect players so not unexpected" - Tennis fans surprised by Elena Rybakina sporting Yonex and Red Bull sponsorships after Adidas split

Tennis fans were taken aback by Elena Rybakina's sudden change in clothing sponsor. Rybakina has switched from Adidas to Yonex.

Back in early 2020 the Kazakh signed with Adidas as her apparel and shoe sponsor, after being previously sponsored by Nike. Rybakina was even spotted in her Adidas attire while training for the ongoing French Open.

However, her clothing sponsor has now been updated to Yonex on the official Roland Garros app.

A fan shared an image of the World No. 4 wearing her new Yonex outfit, which also featured Red Bull as a sponsor, and expressed surprise at the move.

"Huh?? Saw on Roland-Garros app. Elena Rybakina is with Yonex instead of Adidas clothing and sponsored by Red Bull?" the fan tweeted.

Several tennis fans were left surprised by the circumstances surrounding Elena Rybakina's sudden change in sponsorship. One of the fans, however, claimed that the move was not unexpected since Adidas had never shown the appropriate "respect" to the players they sponsored.

"Adidas never respect players so not unexpected same as Nike. Big blow by Adidas tbh," the fan posted.

Another fan remarked that Adidas would have to wait a while to witness one of their sponsored players winning a Grand Slam. They have let go of Elena Rybakina, and their long-time partner Garbine Muruguza has decided to take an extended break from tennis.

"Yonex apparently snagged Rybakina for a clothing deal… with Muguruza nowhere to be found Elena was supposed to be adidas’ shining star. now they have to rely on Sakkari & Pegula to carry the mantle. adidas not seeing a slam for awhile i’m afraid," the fan tweeted.

One user was left surprised by the suddenness of the move since they had spotted Rybakina practicing in Adidas as recently as May 28.

"It's really strange, i saw her practicing yesterday all in adidas," they commented.

Here are some more fan reactions:

"If I play my best, I can beat anyone" - Elena Rybakina confident of her chances at French Open 2023

Elena Rybakina won the Italian Open ahead of the 2023 French Open

Having recently put together a title run at the Italian Open, Elena Rybakina exuded confidence ahead of her tournament opener at the 2023 French Open.

The reigning Wimbledon champion stated that while it was impossible to play well every time, she backed herself to beat any opponent when performing at her best, regardless of the surface.

“It's impossible to play every time good and feel great, but I feel for sure no matter the surface, if I play my best, I can beat anyone,” she said in her pre-tournament press conference.

Rybakina will begin her campaign at the claycourt Major against qualifier Brenda Fruhvirtova on Tuesday, May 30. This will mark the first-ever tour meeting between the two players.