With the start of her Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open campaign, Elena Rybakina hopes that her strong passion for the UAE will finally pay off.
Rybakina usually travels to the United Arab Emirates. She participated in both the first-ever edition of this competition last year and the inaugural Abu Dhabi WTA Women’s Tennis Open in 2021, which was held to meet the schedule amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The No. 5 seed from Kazakhstan has participated in three of the last four Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Tournaments. Since Rybakina holds her pre-season training camps there as well, she is more acquainted with the courts and weather than others.
Rybakina expressed her thoughts in a recent interview and said: “I really like the UAE and playing here. I spend a lot of time in pre-season here; I’ve already done four years in a row. Even now, after Melbourne, I stay in Dubai and I come to Abu Dhabi often. I enjoy it. I like the people here, the food, and the weather, so I’m enjoying my time here.”
As the top seed at this week’s Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, Rybakina is one of four players who will get a bye into the second round, where she may play Naomi Osaka, the four-time Grand Slam champion. In the early phases of her comeback, the Japanese player received a wild card into the competition.
If Naomi overcomes Danielle Collins, Elena and Naomi might compete in the Abu Dhabi second round.
Rybakina stated her remarks about Osaka and said: “Naomi is a great player; she’s just coming back now and still won’t be at her best but no matter what, she’s a very dangerous and experienced player. It’s not going to be easy, for sure, and it would be a very tough battle, so we will see. Hopefully, it will go my way.”
Elena Rybakina says Naomi Osaka isn’t at her best yet, but she’s still very dangerous:
“Naomi is a great player, she’s just coming back now and still won’t be at her best but no matter what she’s a very dangerous and an experienced player. It’s not going to be easy, for sure,… pic.twitter.com/2CyklKw6YZ
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 6, 2024
Elena Rybakina in 2024
Ranked no.5, the Kazakhstani played her last match on the 18th of January when she capitulated to world no.51 Anna Blinkova 6-4 4-6 7-6(20) in the 2nd round of the Australian Open (draw).
Currently, during this year Rybakina achieved a 7-2 record. Elena conquered 1 title in Brisbane.
Rybakina has scheduled to compete next in Doha (Qatar TotalEnergies Open). She will begin to play the tournament from the main draw that will commence on the 12th of February.
Naomi Osaka in 2024
LWLWLWLLWL At the moment ranked no.757, Osaka played her last match on the 6th of February when she was defeated by world no.71 Danielle Collins 7-5 6-0 in the 1st round in Abu Dhabi (draw).
This season Naomi has achieved an overall 1-3 record.
Osaka is scheduled to play next in Doha (Qatar TotalEnergies Open). She will start the tournament from the main draw that will commence on the 12th of February.
Elena Rybakina and Naomi Osaka have never clashed against each other.
