The first player in Kazakhstan’s history to win a Grand Slam title, Elena Rybakina has risen to the top of the women’s game thanks in large part to her devastating serve.

With her, everything seems contained. Even her greatest triumphs are celebrated with little more than a clenched fist and a faint smile. But her calm exterior can be misleading. Elena Rybakina possesses a steely character and a champion’s mentality, traits she displayed very early on the tour.

In her first full year as a professional in 2018, after already standing out among the best juniors, she made headlines with a win over world No.7 Caroline Garcia in St. Petersburg. A year later, in 2019, she captured her first WTA title on the clay of Bucharest and broke into the Top 100.

The emergence of a giant, in every sense of the word (she is 1.84 metres tall). Despite a few injury setbacks, “Lena” made history at Wimbledon in 2022, becoming the first Kazakhstani player ever to lift a Grand Slam trophy. That major title was followed in 2023 by two prestigious WTA 1000 triumphs in Indian Wells and Rome. This rich spell propelled her to world No.3.

Beyond her composure, Rybakina’s success rests on an exceptionally pure ballstriking technique. Her serve, in particular, is formidable and consistently places her among the annual leaders in total aces. Comfortable on every surface, she firmly established herself among the sport’s elite by winning the WTA Finals at the end of 2025, just weeks before securing her second Grand Slam title at the 2026 Australian Open.

Her relentless rise has helped form a new women’s "Big 3" alongside Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, against whom she has already produced numerous memorable battles.