Elena Rybakina kicked off her United Cup debut in some style after winning two matches and leading Kazakhstan to a comeback win in their opening match against Spain.
In the opening match of the first day of the season, Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta annihilated Alexander Shevchenko 6-2 6-1.
Next on the court was Rybakina, who needed to win to help Kazakhstan stay alive. And the world No. 6 delivered, beating Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-2 6-3 to force a decider.
Then, the 2022 Wimbledon champion returned to the court for a mixed doubles match with Shevchenko.
After a thriller, the Kazakh duo sealed a 7-6 (4) 6-7 (2) 10-7 win over Carreno Busta and Ivonne Cavalle-Reimers to complete Kazakhstan’s comeback victory.
Elena Rybakina and Alexander Shevchenko© United Cup/Instagram – Fair Use
How Rybakina won her singles and then mixed doubles match?
The former world No. 3 made a lightning start to her match against Bouzas Maneiro, claiming back-to-back breaks to open an early 4-0 lead.
While the Spaniard managed to get one break back in the fifth game, the Kazakh still routinely clinched the opener with another break in the eighth game.
In the second set, Rybakina took Bouzas Maneiro’s serve in the sixth game and that was enough for the 25-year-old to complete a straight-set win.
When it comes to the mixed doubles match, the 2022 Wimbledon champion and Shevchenko were down by an early break but managed to get back and force a tie-break – in which they opened a 5-2 lead before realizing their third set point.
Up by a set, the Kazakh pair also went up by a break midway through the second set but Cavalle-Reimers and Carreno Busta instantly got the break back in the eighth game.
Eventually, another tie-break was seen but this time the Spanish duo won the opening five points and ended up forcing a third set.
In the decider – which saw the two pairs play a match tie-break – the eight-time WTA champion and Shevchenko were down early before winning five consecutive points to open a 6-3 lead and ultimately sealing the win.
Tennis World USA