Elena Rybakina created her own history by becoming the first ever Kazakhstani Grand Slam champion after she overcame Ons Jabeur, the Tunisian and African also chasing her first title in the Wimbledon women’s final.
The 17th seed battled back from a set down to record a 3-6
6-2 6-2 victory.
The Russian-born star, 23, looked nervous from the off and
it was little surprise when Jabeur broke again when Rybakina served
unsuccessfully to stay in the opening set.
Rybakina needed a response and she duly found one from
nowhere, breaking at the start of the second set and maintaining that momentum,
holding serve despite relentless pressure from Jabeur.
She won the set 6-2 and also won the deciding set by the
same margin.
With Russian and Belarussian players banned from the
grasscourt major following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Rybakina would have
been excluded from this year’s Wimbledon had she not switched allegiance from
Russia four years ago.