Women's tennis has its new “Big Three”, but while Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Švěntek are betting on loud emotions, a quiet but devastating force lurks in their shadow.
As of July 28, 2026, world No. 2 Elena Rybakina is confidently closing the gap to the top and threatening the throne of leader Sabalenka. After winning the WTA Finals in late 2025 and triumphing with her second Slam title at the 2026 Australian Open, the Moscow-born player has become the most dangerous weapon on the modern tour. Behind the mask of the “Snow Queen“, however, lies a girl with an extraordinary fate, a closely guarded personal life and complicated professional relationships.
Family, origin and education: The broken dream that gave birth to a champion
Elena Andreevna Rybakina was born on June 17, 1999 in Moscow. Her parents, Andrei Rybakin (a former volleyball player) and Ekaterina Rybakina, noticed her and her older sister Anna's sporting talent from an early age. Initially, the two sisters were fond of figure skating and gymnastics. However, at the age of 6, the coaches told Elena that she would become too tall for professional gymnastics (today she is an impressive 184 cm), which prompted her father to redirect her to tennis.
Education has always been a priority for her mother, Ekaterina. When Elena graduated from high school, her father insisted that she accept one of the many scholarship offers from American universities, worried about the huge financial costs of professional tennis. The Russian Tennis Federation refused to finance her development, offering an insulting contract.
The Deal for Millions: How Kazakhstan Bought a Future Star
In 2018, Rybakina's family faced a wall - a lack of funds stopped her transition to women's tennis. Then billionaire Bulat Utemuratov, president of the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation, intervened. The country offered Elena full financial security, covering all travel expenses, hotels and hiring top coaches.
In return, Rybakina officially changed her citizenship that same year. The contract also included serious bonuses for Slam titles. When she won Wimbledon, she received a bonus of over $700,000 from the federation, which she donated to charity for young talents in Kazakhstan. This investment became the most profitable deal in the history of Kazakh sports.
Character, quirks and "vices": What is hidden behind the ice mask?
On the court, Rybakina seems completely emotionless – she almost never screams, does not break rackets and barely smiles even after winning Wimbledon or Melbourne. Outside the spotlight, however, her character is radically different:
Character traits: She is an introvert, extremely quiet and modest. She is described as a down-to-earth girl who hates unnecessary attention. Her sister Anna says that Elena is extremely positive in a narrow circle, but on the court she simply “turns off“ her emotions. Oddities and tastes: Rybakina has a huge passion for high speeds. Contrary to her calm image, she loves fast cars and adrenaline. After one of her big successes, she celebrated the title at the Ferrari World amusement park. In terms of tastes – Elena loves simple food, ice cream and culinary experiments at her home in Dubai. “Vices“ and weaknesses: Her biggest professional vice is her stubbornness in terms of fatigue. She often ignores her body's signals, which leads to frequent withdrawals from tournaments due to stomach problems. Another weakness of hers is "shopping therapy" after heavy losses, which she uses to treat the accumulated stress.The relationship with Stefano Vukov: Psychology or harassment?
An important role in Elena's career is played by her long-time coach Stefano Vukov. Their relationship on the court is often the subject of harsh criticism from the media and former legends such as Pam Shriver. Vukov is known for his extremely aggressive behavior, shouting and sharp gestures during Rybakina's matches.
Many analysts define this as psychological pressure, but Rybakina herself has repeatedly defended her mentor:
"Stefano is extremely passionate and emotional. People see me quiet on the court and think he's hurting me, but the truth is that I need that energy to wake up. Off the court he's a completely different person."
The Epic Rivalry: Rybakina vs. Sabalenka
The clash between Rybakina and Sabalenka has become a classic of modern women's tennis. This is a duel of styles - icy calm versus hurricane emotion. As of mid-2026, their head-to-head history shows a remarkably even playing field.
While Sabalenka dominated the early years of their rivalry (including the 2023 Australian Open final), Rybakina has managed to reverse the trend with key victories in major finals in 2024 and 2025. Their matches are almost always decided in three sets and feature the fastest serves and most powerful backhands on the entire WTA tour.
Fears, intimate life and hobbies
Despite possessing one of the most fearsome returns in the world, Elena has a paranoid fear of public speaking. At the beginning of her career, press conferences were a real torture for her.
Elena Rybakina's love life is one of the most closely guarded secrets in tennis. She has never shown her partner on social networks and categorically refuses to answer questions about her intimate life during interviews. Officially, she is single, fully dedicated to her career. When she is not on the court, her hobbies include spending time with her dog, reading books and watching movies in the company of her sister Anna.
Where is Rybakina now?
After the end of the grass season, where Rybakina was eliminated in the round of 16 of Wimbledon 2026, she decided to take a short break to regain her strength for the hard court season in North America. She currently holds a solid second place in the world and has been announced as the second seed for the upcoming prestigious tournament in Toronto in August, right behind Aryna Sabalenka. The big news from the last few hours is that Elena will make a star tandem with Taylor Fritz in the mixed doubles at the upcoming US Open - a step that shows that the Snow Queen is ready for complete domination.