NEW DELHI: Former champion Elena Rybakina defeated Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse at Wimbledon on Tuesday.
Rybakina registered an easy 6-3, 6-1 win in a lop-sided contest that lasted an hour and 11 minutes.
Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, initially struggled to find her serving rhythm, losing her first game. Despite recent illness and fitness issues, the fourth seed from Kazakhstan appeared more comfortable as the match progressed.
She clinched the first set with a powerful serve that Ruse sent wide.
Ruse, who qualified the previous week without dropping a set, began to falter against Rybakina's heavy groundstrokes.
In the second set, Ruse slipped and required treatment but continued to play. Rybakina, who leads the women's tour in aces this year with 270, secured the match on her second match point.
"Really happy to win my first match here this year. I didn’t play on grass too much this year because I’ve had some issues," Rybakina said in an interview on court.
"I’m just keeping all the emotions inside, sometimes it’s not easy but I’m looking forward to the next one. I just want to be happy on the court, that’s my goal now."
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