"Should not have shaved before the final" - Elena Rybakina’s coach Lovro Zovko jokes after her Qatar Open final loss to Iga Swiatek

Elena Rybakina’s coach Lovro Zovko took a humorous approach to cope with Kazakh’s defeat in the 2024 Qatar Open final, joking that he should have not shaved and that it was his fault. Rybakina fell short of winning her third title of the season, losing to World No. 1 Iga Swiatek in straight sets.

Rybakina started the 2024 season on a high note, winning the Brisbane International and reaching the quarterfinals of the Adelaide International, where she lost to Ekaterina Alexandrova in straight sets. The 24-year-old, however, faced a second-round defeat against Anna Blinkova at the Australian Open.

The Kazakh then kicked off her campaign in the Middle East, where she won her second title of the season at the Abu Dhabi Open, defeating seventh seed Daria Kasatkina in straight sets.

The 2022 Wimbledon champion then reached the final of the Qatar Open, a prestigious WTA 1000 event. Rybakina defeated Zhu Lin, Emma Navarro, Leylah Fernandez, and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, en route to the final. However, Rybakina could not overcome Swiatek, who turned out to be too strong for the Kazakh, winning 7-6 (8), 6-2.

Zovko decided to lighten the mood after the loss by posting a playful caption on his social media account. He shared a picture of him and Rybakina with her coaching team after the trophy ceremony. Zovko praised Rybakina’s performance in the past two weeks and expressed optimism about the future.

"Those last 3 weeks could have been a dream. Two balls. And could have been a dream. Like this, it was an amazing 3 weeks. Packed with emotions. And I am amazed and proud of the work that they are doing. Off to my home. Office closed for the next 3 days. Thank you to everyone. P.S. should not have shaved before the final😟," Zovko wrote.

---

Elena Rybakina to face Arantxa Rus or Victoria Azarenka in the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships 2R

Elena Rybakina at the 2024 Qatar TotalEnergies Open

Elena Rybakina will resume her Middle Eastern campaign at the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships, against either Arantxa Rus or Victoria Azarenka on Tuesday, February 20. The Kazakh is coming off a runner-up finish at the Qatar Open.

Rybakina will be hoping to continue her impressive form in Dubai, where she has a decent record. She made her debut at the tournament in 2020, reaching the final before losing to top seed Simona Halep in a three-set thriller. The following year, the Kazakh lost in the second round to Ons Jabeur in three sets.

Elena Rybakina returned to the tournament in 2023, where she was forced to withdraw due to a back injury ahead of her Round of 16 clash with American Coco Gauff.