Elena Rybakina has explained that she is ‘unhappy’ with her performance after exiting Roland Garros at the quarter-final stage.
It wasn’t the best day for Rybakina who failed to reach her first Roland Garros semi-final after losing 6-2 4-6 6-4 to Jasmine Paolini.
The former Wimbledon champion hit 48 unforced errors, 26 more than Paolini, and was broken on seven different occasions.
After the match Rybakina admitted it wasn’t the greatest day and blamed her footwork on the defeat, “Well, yeah, it’s definitely not the greatest day. She played really well. She started much better. She was moving good,” Rybakina said in her post-match press conference.
“I started a bit slow, and she was aggressive from the first ball. Then I was just trying to find my game, which was always I would step back and I was trying to fight through, but in the end, yeah, as you say, it’s not the greatest day in the office. I was close, but she won.
“Yeah, today definitely was hotter, and the ball was flying much more. I think in the end my legs were not there. No matter which conditions, if it’s slow or fast, I should have been moving better and some decision. A lot of unforced errors.
“So I’m not, of course, really happy with the performance, but it is what it is. It’s tennis. Not every day you can play good. I will try to take some good things from this match, try to analyze, and just move on.”
Despite the performance and defeat, Rybakina took the positives from the Roland Garros campaign as she reached her second quarter-final in Paris.
The world number four admitted she was pleased how she overcame health issues to have a good tournament at Roland Garros, “It was bad day. As I was saying, I was struggling a little bit with the health issues past few weeks, so I think it’s just all together,” Rybakina noted.
“But in the end no matter all these things, which were maybe happening outside of the court, I managed to get to the quarters. I think it’s pretty good result. Of course, I always want to win, but a lot of tough opponents, a lot of matches, and I think overall it’s been positive French Open for me.”
Perspective is important for Rybakina as she looks ahead to one of her favourite parts of the season on the grass.
Speaking ahead of the grass court season Rybakina said she’s looking forward to the prospect of a surface change and also analysed the fact that she’s had good results to start the year, “I’m really happy with the results,” Rybakina stated.
“I mean, I played so many matches. Also, good wins against top players. Of course, it’s a lot of ups and downs from my side, missing some events. Of course, I would like to play everything, but if the body is on the limit, I cannot do anything.
“For now I’m pretty happy, and if I can continue like this until the end of the year it’s going to be not bad for sure. In the end I just, yeah, need to focus now on the grass season.”
