Rybakina through to the Wimbledon final after beating Halep
Elena Rybakina through to Wimbledon final after beating 2019 champion Simona Halep in straight sets… with Russian-born player set to face Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur in Ladies’ Singles Final
- Elena Rybakina is through to the Wimbledon final after win over Simona Halep
- The Russian-born player beat the 2019 champion 6-3 6-3 on Thursday afternoon
- Rybakina will play against Ons Jabeur in the Ladies’ Singles Final on Saturday
Despite the All England Club’s best efforts, a woman born, raised and resident in Moscow will contest the 2022 women’s final.
Elena Rybakina, who changed her nationality from Russian to Kazak in 2018 to receive greater funding and support, destroyed 2019 Wimbledon champion Simona Halep 6-3, 6-3 on her Centre Court debut to set up a date with Ons Jabeur.
As the Kasakstan No 1 there was of course no way Wimbledon could deny her entry as part of their ban on Russian and Belarusian players, a decision made to exert sporting pressure on the regime that invaded Ukraine.
Elena Rybakina (pictured) is through to the Wimbledon final after beating Simona Halep
23-year-old has made it to a Grand Slam final for the first time after win over 2019 champion
The world No. 23 cruised past Simona Halep (rigtht) 6-3 6-3 on her Centre Court debut
But her nationality may not prevent the Putin propaganda machine claimed this as a Russian success.
That, however, is beyond Rybakina’s control. All she is doing is playing tennis and she is doing that extremely well.
Halep, 30, came into this match on a run of 20 consecutive sets won at Wimbledon but Rybakina was far too good for her here.
The 23-year-old No17 seed stands at 6 feet tall and that powerful frame delivers a fluid and dangerous serve as well as brutal groundstrokes.
But for one of her height she moves with a fluidity and grace born of a childhood doing figure skating and gymnastics.
Rybakina ended her opponent’s run of 20 consecutive sets won at Wimbledon on Thursday
Rybakina served up five aces in her dominant straight set win over the tournament’s 16 seed
Halep was never allowed to settle and her struggles with her second serve began to appear like an attack of the yips.
A 65 mph double fault gave Rybakina break point in the first game and she struck with a massive forehand.
You can tell how the Halep game is feeling by the shape of her forehand follow-through. When she is in control her racket wraps around her shoulders as she steps in; under pressure it rises up above her head as she is forced on to the back foot.
Here it was the latter more often than not as her opponent pinned her back. Halep gave her thigh a brisk, frustrated slap as she went 4-1 down.
Her serve was deteriorating rapidly and she hit three double faults as she was broken in the first game of the second set.
Romania’s Simona Halep (pictured) looks dejected as members of the crowd watch on
Then, for the first time, Rybakina blinked, playing a loose game to be broken back at 2-2.
But again the Halep serve was generous, as she surrendered the break back with another two double faults, the last flopping into the net at 66mph.
Serving to stay in the match, a Halep double fault gave Rybakina a first match point and she took it with an imperious backhand winning return.
The Moscow-born Kazak is into her first Grand Slam final in only her second appearance here at Wimbledon.
Rybakina will face Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur (pictured) after she beat Tatjana Maria in three sets
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