Elena Rybakina extended her trophy haul on Saturday with a one-sided win over Liudmila Samsonova to claim the WTA 250 Internationaux de Strasbourg title.
The Kazakhstani tennis star, renowned for her strong serve and assured baseline game, was in top form throughout the week-long tournament, sealing a straight-sets final victory.
After her victory, Rybakina offered warm wishes to her opponent. “I would like to congratulate Liudmila on the fantastic week. Good luck to you and the team in Paris,” she stated during the trophy presentation.
Samsonova, whose own run in the tournament had been impressive, was gracious in defeat, conceding Rybakina’s superiority on court.
The victory comes at the right time for both players, and they now travel to Paris for the second Grand Slam of the year, the French Open. Elena Rybakina’s recent performance makes her one of the players to watch on Roland Garros‘ clay courts.
In a tearful speech, the Wimbledon champion also thanked the organisers of the Strasbourg tournament. “Big thank you to the tournament director who took me last minute. Really happy to be back,” she told the audience, emphasizing the fact that her decision to play was a last-minute one, but resulted in victory.
The tournament, which takes place every year right before the French Open, tends to welcome top players to play it as a tune-up event. For Elena Rybakina, it was not just warming up—instead, it was a platform where she reassessed her form and regained confidence.
Rybakina was not remiss in expressing her appreciation for the people working behind the scenes who had helped make her the champion. “I would like to say thanks to my team. I have a good and big team. Thanks to my fitness coach, physio, Stefano, and to my family,” she stated, recognizing the combined effort involved in keeping a top-level player’s form up.
Her appreciation reflects the often-unseen support system professional athletes rely on, especially during the demanding clay-court season.
Wrapping up her speech, the 24-year-old hinted at her hopes for future appearances in Strasbourg. “Hopefully I’m gonna be back here in Strasbourg,” she said with a smile, leaving fans optimistic for more thrilling performances from her in the years to come.
