New York City, United States, April 1, 2023: Kazakhstan’s Wimbledon women’s singles champion Elena Rybakina is putting something back into the game - by funding 14 grants for aspiring female tennis players in Kazakhstan.
As Rybakina keeps racking up wins and rising up the WTA rankings, Kazakhstan’s first major champion hasn’t forgotten about the significant support she received along the way, reports the New York-based media/news company Tennis.com.
Paying it forward has been on Rybakina’s mind for some time. Following her quarterfinal win at the Miami Open, the reigning Wimbledon winner spoke about her desire to invest in the future of aspiring WTA players standing in the shoes she once wore.
“It was a big help for me when I started as a professional, from the Federation, so I was thinking that there is going to be a good way to thank back,” Rybakina said. “Also, I think it's important for the young girls to have some kind of support since it's not easy for everyone.”
According to the Qazaqstan Monitor dated March 27, Rybakina donated 35 million Kazakhstani tenge (78,000 USD) to promising female players under the age of 18. Upon reading letters sent by players detailing their stories, Rybakina decided to increase the number of grants to 14 (approximately 5,587 USD apiece).
After her breakout performance in London last summer, Rybakina stated: “It's my turn to help the younger generation grow.”