Elena Rybakina was nervous. She was playing her first match on Wimbledon’s Centre Court as defending champion. She was facing a tough opponent in Shelby Rogers. The roof was closed and she was recovering from a virus.
Even more daunting, one of the greatest players ever to walk that court, Roger Federer, was now sitting just a few feet behind her, in the royal box, watching her struggle.
“Yeah, maybe that’s why I was nervous,” Rybakina said after she recovered to beat Rogers 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 on Tuesday.
Rybakina, the third-ranked player in the world, along with No. 1 Iga Swiatek and No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, comprise the top of the women’s tennis pyramid. Together, they have won the last five major tournaments, and the eventual winner of this year’s Wimbledon is expected to come from their elite group, as well.
Those who think it is premature to crown a triumvirate of women’s tennis will find the 24-year-old Rybakina in agreement. “I think it’s too early to say anything about just three players because it’s not like it was Roger or Djokovic,” Rybakina said. “It’s still too far.”
All three players are under 26, and all have the necessary tools to win multiple tournaments and remain at the top of the rankings. Left out of the grouping are players like Jessica Pegula, ranked No. 4. But Pegula said she agrees that the top three are the class of the women’s game and deserve the recognition.
Ons Jabeur is another who believes that Swiatek, Sabalenka and Rybakina have set themselves apart. “For me it’s inspiring to see them doing great,” Jabeur said. “You can learn a lot from them.”
Coco Gauff, who is only 19 and ranked No. 7, could also intrude into the mix one day. But not yet, not after she lost to Sofia Kenin, a former No. 4 player who is 24, in the first round on Monday.
As Rybakina said on Tuesday, “anyone can still beat anyone.” Rybakina won Wimbledon last year, defeating Jabeur in three sets for her first grand slam title.
But her conditioning remains in doubt. A virus forced her withdrawal from the French Open last month. She is OK now, she said, but she had to lighten her workouts leading up to Wimbledon.
New York Times News Service