Rybakina Attributes Her WTA Finals 2025 Victory to Low Expectations and Aggressive Play

The sixth-ranked tennis player in the world, Kazakhstan’s **[Elena Rybakina](https://www.wtatennis.com/players/31101/elena-rybakina)**, shared what contributed to her success at the WTA Finals 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

**— You arrived here with jet lag, feeling tired and, as you admitted, with lowered expectations. How did these tempered expectations help you win the tournament?**

— Yes, I suppose I didn’t put too much pressure on myself. Transitioning from one tournament to another is challenging. You need to adapt to new conditions and balls, and learn to control them. I stepped onto the court for my first match after just two days of practice; it was tough.

I had the advantage with my serve, which we focused on because we knew that in longer rallies, I wouldn’t feel as confident since we had just arrived. I think I played very aggressively throughout the tournament. The top players create opportunities but not many. I made sure to capitalize on everything as quickly as possible, — Rybakina’s words are quoted on the WTA website.