Amidst Series of Disappointments, Elena Rybakina Finds Silver Lining in ‘Rare’ Family Time as She Enjoys Herself Away From Sport
Being a sportsperson is tough and the toughest part is staying away from the loved ones. As the season gets more hectic with each passing year, players have to stay away from home for months. This can be a tough pill to swallow. Ask Elena Rybakina, who has experienced this situation over the past few years. However, the 2024 season was a completely different scenario for the Kazakh star.
Over the course of the season, Elena Rybakina has been struggling with injuries. Moreover, she missed the Asian leg of the WTA Tour due to a back injury which has been a persistent issue for her. Thus, Rybakina missed a series of tournaments and remained away from the action for long. However, not all was bad during this time as she could enjoy precious time with her family.
During an interview earlier this week, Rybakina was asked how difficult it was to stay away from the family while playing continuously on the tour. She said, “It’s not easy for sure. This year, I actually ended up having a relatively long, though unplanned, break, so I was able to spend time with family. But again, if the season is going well and you’re not missing tournaments due to injuries, it’s very rare to spend time with family or stay in one place for more than two weeks. However, I do have the opportunity for my parents to come visit me, which is a big plus. And sometimes my sister travels with me, so that support really helps.”
Following her lengthy absence on the court and spending quality time with her family, Rybakina made a comeback at the WTA Finals. However, she won just 1 match against Aryna Sabalenka and bowed out of the tournament in the group stage itself.
Ahead of the 2024 US Open, Rybakina split with her long-time coach Stefano Vukov. However, she aims to make a fresh start and appointed Goran Ivanisevic as her new coach.
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