On June 17, 2025, Elena Rybakina celebrated her 26th birthday with a renewed focus on reclaiming Wimbledon glory, following a turbulent year marked by injuries, coaching controversies, and a rankings dip. The 2022 Wimbledon champion, now ranked No. 11, is channeling her resilience for a triumphant return to SW19, starting June 30, as she seeks redemption after a 2024 semi-final loss to Barbora Krejcikova, per Motorcycle Sports.
Recent Resurgence Sets the Stage
Rybakina’s 2025 season began with setbacks, including a back injury during the Australian Open, where she fell to Madison Keys in the fourth round, dropping her from the top 10 for the first time since 2023, per Wikipedia. Her clay season showed grit, with a third-round Italian Open loss to Bianca Andreescu and a thrilling French Open fourth-round defeat to Iga Swiatek (6-4, 3-6, 6-3), per WTA. A last-minute entry into the Strasbourg Open delivered her first title in over a year, defeating Liudmila Samsonova 6-1, 6-7(2), 6-1, boosting her confidence, per Motociclismo.
Grass-Court Momentum
Rybakina’s grass campaign kicked off strongly at the Queen’s Club Championships, where she beat Heather Watson 6-4, 6-3 and Tatjana Maria in the quarter-finals, showcasing her potent serve and baseline power, per Tennis Up To Date. Her 83% first-serve point win rate against Watson underlined her grass-court prowess, per The Athletic. As she prepares for the Berlin Open (June 16–22), Rybakina aims to build on her 90.48% Wimbledon win rate, second only to Steffi Graf in the Open Era among players with 20+ matches, per Australian Open.
Birthday Wish and Fan Support
Rybakina’s birthday wish—to clinch another Grand Slam—captured fans’ hearts, with X posts like @TheTennisLetter’s, “Who would’ve thought this young girl would grow up and become a Wimbledon Champion,” reflecting her journey, per. @da_muguruza listed her achievements, including 21 top-10 wins, and wished for another Wimbledon title, per. Her Red Bull sponsorship, celebrated with a 2024 birthday visit to Hangar 7, adds off-court flair, per EssentiallySports.
Overcoming Challenges
Rybakina’s 2025 has been marred by coaching drama. After parting with Goran Ivanišević post-Australian Open, she rehired Stefano Vukov, only for him to face a 12-month WTA ban for alleged misconduct, which Rybakina publicly disputed, per Sportskeeda. Now coached by Davide Sanguinetti, she’s navigating these distractions with her trademark calm, aiming to replicate her 2022 Wimbledon run, where she beat Ons Jabeur 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, per BBC.
