“Elena Rybakina might finish as No. 1” – Ex-ATP pro makes bold prediction about Kazakh’s chances at Australian Open 2025
Former ATP player Alex Corretja feels that Elena Rybakina would be claiming her second Grand Slam title at the upcoming Australian Open, which is the first tennis Major of 2025. The Spaniard also believes that the Kazakh has a possibility of finishing up as the World No. 1 by yearend.
Corretja was part of a panel that included former stars Mats Wilander, Tim Henman, and Laura Robson talking up big time with Eurosport on predictions and discussions about how 2025 could possibly turn out for some of tennis’ biggest icons. At one time, they were asked about the possible outcome among women’s singles at the Australian Open.
Wilander and Robson chose two-time reigning Australian Open champion and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka for the hardcourt Major for the third successive year. Meanwhile, Henman picked Zheng Qinwen. However, according to Corretja, it will be Elena Rybakina who will claim her first title in Melbourne come January of next year.
“I’m going to go for [Elena] Rybakina,” Corretja told Eurosport.
The former ATP World No. 2 also opined that the Kazakh has a chance to finish 2025 as the top-ranked WTA player.
“I’m actually thinking she might finish as No. 1 this year,” Corretja added.
Elena Rybakina had a fantastic opportunity for the 2023 Australia Open. In the final, the Kazakh defeated the first set by 6-4, but Aryna Sabalenka came back furiously in the match and easily swept the Kazakh in the second and third sets by 6-3, 6-4.
Rybakina would have claimed her second Major title had she won. The first complete title triumph in her credit on the Grand Slam stage came in 2022 when she triumphed over Ons Jabeur in the Wimbledon Championships finals.
It was a mixed year for the former World No. 3, and now at No. 6. She came in with a bang at the very start, adding three trophies to still being at the level of the WTA Tour for today, but she was getting into major difficulties concerning her condition and something that turned into a very drastic switch of trainers later on.
Elena Rybakina’s 2024 was a mix of success, struggles and starting afresh
After showing an impressive run in the first half of 2024, Elena Rybakina went on to win her sixth, seventh, and eighth titles at the WTA Tour level- the Brisbane International, the Abu Dhabi Open, and Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, respectively. She reached the quarterfinals of the French Open and the semifinals of the Wimbledon Championships.
But the rest of his year failed to do more than sporadically hold him between fitness struggles, illness, and an array of withdrawals-from-games, including the US open, where he left after winning the first round. It was also around this time that the Kazakh parted ways with his longtime coach Stefano Vukov.
Since then, Rybakina has roped in the ATP former no. 2, Goran Ivanisevic, to her coaching team for the season of 2025. Ivanisevic, who has also led Marin Cilic to a US Open title, has done only more notable work with the legend, taking Novak Djokovic to 12 of the Serbian’s 24 Major successes.
