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Tennis fans were thrilled as Elena Rybakina confirmed her WTA Finals 2024 appearance by posing with her coaching team and sister Anna before her journey to Riyadh. Several fans expressed high hopes about the Kazakh’s return following an extended hiatus.
Rybakina, who hasn’t competed since the US Open, is gearing up for the year-end championships in Riyadh (November 2–9), which is set to be her final tournament of the season. The lineup also includes Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini, Barbora Krejcikova, Jessica Pegula, and Zheng Qinwen.
Although Elena Rybakina qualified for the tournament in mid-October, she hadn’t officially announced her participation. However, Yuri Schukin, the captain of Kazakhstan’s Billie Jean King Cup team, recently indicated that she intends to compete.
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Despite the uncertainty amid her prolonged break from tennis, Rybakina had been preparing for the WTA Finals in Dubai the past few weeks, training with the likes of Simona Halep. Her latest pictures with her team in a private jet, though, confirmed her trip to the Saudi capital.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion smiled from ear to ear as she sat with her elder sister, Anna, in the images shared by her physiotherapist, Stefan Duell. Duell also posted a video of the team landing in Riyadh.
Tennis fans were delighted to see Rybakina in good spirits and expressed their excitement about the comeback.
"Wow, the girl is happy and freeee," one fan wrote.
Some fans joked about her possibly imposing return to the tour.
"EVERYONE SHOULD BE SCARED," one fan said.
"She's coming for blood OMFG!!!!!!!!" another fan said.
One fan opined that Elena Rybakina means business at the WTA Finals, considering she is accompanied by her sister. The 25-year-old had previously indicated that her sister was her lucky charm.
"Her sister is coming with her. Its serious sign their intention to win," the fan said.
"Queenie Ann present, oh Lena's taking it," another fan chimed in.
Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:
Elena Rybakina is chasing her ninth career title at WTA Finals 2024
The 2024 WTA Finals is also set to mark Elena Rybakina’s first complete campaign without her former coach Stefano Vukov.
The 25-year-old announced her sudden separation from Vukov, her coach of five years, just days before the US Open. After winning her first match, she pulled out of the tournament, citing a back injury. In the days that followed, it was reported that Vukov had been removed from the official WTA coaching list, leading to speculation about the controversial nature of the split.
Elena Rybakina would thus look to start afresh at the upcoming event in Riyadh. She is in pursuit of her ninth tour-level title. This year alone, the World No. 5 has won three titles at the WTA 500 events in Brisbane, Abu Dhabi, and Stuttgart. Her other significant results were reaching two WTA 1000-level finals in Doha and Miami.
It is worth noting that Rybakina achieved the stellar results despite her season being marred by injuries and illnesses, which saw her pull out of several tournaments.
