Rybakina warns: "I haven't given my best version yet"

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Elena Rybakina is also starting to make an impact on clay courts and will seek success at the Mutua Madrid Open. After her impressive start to the season on hard courts, winning her second Grand Slam at the Australian Open and reaching the semifinals in Miami and the final in Indian Wells, the Kazakh has smoothly transitioned to clay, where she has claimed her second title in Stuttgart.

Now, the world number two threatens Aryna Sabalenka's title defense in Madrid. In the current year, they have faced each other three times, with two victories for the Belarusian (Indian Wells and Miami) and one for the Kazakh (Australian Open).

A new rivalry that she discussed upon her arrival in Madrid, where she also analyzed her form and the conditions she will encounter at the Caja Mágica. Additionally, she took the opportunity to praise Coco Gauff, with whom she trained on her first day in the Spanish capital.

Trained with Gauff and had no hesitation in praising her

"The training session was good. Here, it is considerably faster, and also not indoors, so you need some time to adapt. It was only my second day, and I believe I am gradually getting better."

"I think she is a great player. She is a fighter, moves very well on the court, has a very strong serve, and overall her backhand is very good. She is a very complete player. Of course, we all have bad days, but her biggest strength is her speed on the court and her consistency in the game."

Grateful for the support of the Spanish crowd

"The fans here in Madrid are incredible. You can see it on the smaller courts and during training; there are so many people watching, and that is very nice. There is always a great atmosphere when you play matches. The city itself is also very pleasant. This time, the weather is also very good, and I always enjoy every time I come here."

Her focus lies more on Grand Slams than on the world number one ranking

"I do not only think about the ranking. I believe the main focus is on the Grand Slams, on winning those kinds of titles. But even when I was number three a few years ago, I already aimed to keep climbing in the standings. Each season is a process, and if it happens, great."

Elena Rybakina has not yet reached her best tennis

"I would say it is different between 2022 and now, but I still do not think I am at my best level. I hope to continue improving, and that my best version comes soon, but it is not there yet."

Enjoys her rivalry with Rybakina

"We have played many matches against each other, and as I always say, we push each other to improve. We are both very aggressive, do not expect errors from the other; you have to take the initiative. I think in these type of matches, you grow, learn, and beyond the result, it is always positive to play against these kinds of players."

"She is a great player, a great champion. She has won many titles and has been very consistent as well. I believe we are both powerful players. We have our strengths and areas to improve, but we certainly push each other. She is very fun off the court. She is nice. We are not super close, but I think she is a good person."

Not setting many expectations in Madrid

"It is difficult to say right now. I think I will try to adapt, depending on the opponent, and see what works here and what does not, if I need to change something or not. But overall, it will be the same: trying to be aggressive. The ball flies a lot here, so I have to be careful with the initial shots. It is important who takes the initiative in the first exchanges. So the style will be the same, but I will surely adapt according to what works best."

"You have to be prepared for all of that, but at the same time, it's the same for the opponent. You cannot focus too much on what bothers you or does not work, but try to adapt as quickly as possible. If you do it quickly, great; sometimes it takes longer. But we are all in the same conditions," concludes a Elena Rybakina who commands equal respect, whether on hard courts or on clay.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Rybakina avisa: "Todavía no he dado mi mejor versión"