Elena Rivakina▶ Click here for a larger view
A Russian player won the women’s singles event at this year’s Wimbledon tennis tournament, where Russian nationals were banned from participating.
Elena Rivakina (23rd place, Kazakhstan) defeated Oz Javert (2nd place, Tunisia) in the women’s singles final of the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament (total prize money 435 million pounds, regarding 64.23 billion won) held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, England on the 9th. Defeated 2-1 (3-6 6-2 6-2) and climbed to the top.
Rivakina, the first Kazakh national to win a major in singles, received a prize money of 2 million pounds and 3.12 billion won in Korean money.
This year’s Wimbledon banned all Russian and Belarusian players responsible for the invasion of Ukraine. Coincidentally, Rivakina was born in Moscow, Russia in 1999.
Not only was she born in Russia, her parents are both Russian, and Rivakina also changed her nationality from Russia to Kazakhstan in June 2018.
Rivakina, who played gymnastics and skating when she was young, decided that she was not suitable for gymnastics or skating because of her tall height (currently 184cm) and started playing tennis when she was 6 years old.
As a junior, Rivakina trained at a prestigious Russian tennis club, Spartak, etc.
The Kazakhstan Tennis Association promised financial support such as going to an American university, and Rivakina accepted Kazakh nationality.
Elena Rivakina▶ Click here for a larger view
For this reason, Shamil Tarpischev, president of the Russian Tennis Association, said in an interview with Russian media on the 10th, “Congratulations on Rivakina’s victory. We won Wimbledon this year.”
It is a triumphant statement that he gave a good shot at Wimbledon, where his own players were banned.
Among the four major tournaments, Wimbledon is the only tournament that banned Russian players from participating.
However, Rivakina said in an interview following the match, “I am a Kazakh player, and I did not choose the country where I was born (Russia).”
Rivakina did not hide her love for her new homeland, Kazakhstan, saying, “Kazakhstan people believed in me and helped me a lot.”
He said, “It’s my first time winning a major today, so I don’t think I’m happy because a lot of emotions crossed my mind,” he said.
Kate Middleton, Crown Prince of Great Britain, handing Rivakina the trophy. ▶ Click here for a larger view
Before this tournament, Rivakina’s best performance in the French Open quarterfinals last year was her best record, and she won the women’s professional tennis (WTA) tour singles three times, including this Wimbledon.
In this tournament, he poured 53 serve aces and took the top spot ahead of 2nd place Caroline Garcia (France) with 30 by a whopping 23 gaps. It is a ‘river server’ that recorded
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