© Getty Images Sport – Lintao Zhang
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World No 5 Elena Rybakina thinks her calm and stoic demeanor may be confusing her opponents at times because she is basically not giving them anything. Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, rarely reacts to anything on the court and she is also almost never showing any emotion.
That has worked well for Rybakina so far as the 24-year-old Kazakh is a Grand Slam champion, has won two WTA 1000 titles, and is now widely regarded as one of the best in the game. Addressing her calm demeanor, Rybakina believes it is her advantage because rivals never know what makes her happy or upset.
“I’m trying to be calm and not show if I’m upset or angry… No matter the situation. It helps me and maybe also sometimes confuses the opponents, especially in the beginning when nobody knew me. It took them longer to figure out my weak spots.
Maybe other players are too angry or are showing too many emotions. They work to become calmer, for me it’s the opposite which is a bit rare… If I’m not playing well and the shots aren’t working, I need to show my opponent I’m still there and I’m still fighting.
This is something I’m trying to work on and something…
