Elena Rybakina suffers a surprising elimination at the French Open.

Elena Rybakina was at the center of one of the biggest surprises in the women’s draw at the French Open, crashing out in the second round in an unexpected defeat that left the tennis world in shock. The world number 2 appeared dominant in the first set against Ukrainian Starodubceva, winning 6-3, but from there, her confidence crumbled, leading to fatal errors that resulted in a loss in the tie-break of the decisive set by 10-4.

The abrupt fall of the Kazakh player, at 26 years old, was marked by a concerning decline starting from the second set, where her precision and effectiveness completely vanished. The technical failures were so numerous that they raised doubts about her physical condition, with suspicions that she was not at 100% for this crucial match.

In a press conference, Rybakina explained what she believes was the root of her defeat: “It’s a shame, honestly I was training very well before Paris. I imagined I could elevate my level here quite a bit.” The player dismissed any issues with her coach Stefano Vukov, who left the bench midway through the match due to feeling unwell: “He hadn’t been feeling well for several days. We talked before the match and he knew he might have to leave the stadium. There was absolutely no problem.”

Rybakina also highlighted the extreme heat conditions that were felt: “I don’t think it was a physical problem for me. I’ve had matches where I finished in worse physical condition. The real issue was not being able to find the right balance with the ball. Nothing was working for me. With so much heat, the ball flies very fast and becomes very difficult to control. My style is always aggressive; I try to step onto the court to play quickly. But if I can’t generate enough spin or if my hands aren’t fast enough, the ball goes everywhere. The weather conditions affected the ball more than they affected me.”

This raw and straightforward analysis of Rybakina reveals an athlete who struggles against unexpected adversities and who, despite everything, maintains the ambition to grow and overcome obstacles in high-performance tennis. Her early exit at the French Open sends a clear warning: even top stars are not immune to slips, especially in adverse conditions and under pressure. The return of the Kazakh to the big stages will be awaited with heightened attention.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.