The Wimbledon final will pit two neophytes at this level once morest each other. After Ons Jabeur, it was Elena Rybakina (WTA 23) who validated her ticket for the final by dominating Simona Halep (WTA 18) 6-3 6-3 in just 1h17′ of play.
Rybakina thus becomes the first representative of Kazakhstan to reach the final of a Grand Slam tournament and the youngest Major finalist on grass since Garbine Muguruza in 2015.
“I don’t know how to describe how I feel, it was really good, I was well prepared mentally, I did everything possible and I had an incredible game”commented the 23-year-old whose best Grand Slam result was a quarter-final at Roland Garros in 2021.
Halep struggling to serve
With his big shots, especially on serve (5 aces and 0 double faults when Halep did not manage a single ace but committed 9 double faults), Rybakina dominated the game.
Halep, winner at Wimbledon in 2019 and very widely supported by the public while some encouragement in Russian rises from the stands for Rybakina, saw her defense dented by the violent blows of her opponent (21 winning strokes).
On yet another double fault, Halep missed a 4-5 ball and put Rybakina two points out of the game. The Kazakh scored the last two points in stride, finishing with a dazzling winning comeback.
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Read also: Ons Jabeur offers a first final in Major
