Elena Rybakina– Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Elena, talk about your match today, how you felt out there.

ELENA RYBAKINA: Happy with the win. A bit of rain, but yeah, we were lucky that we didn’t have to go outside. Yeah, happy with the win and looking forward for next match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You have Paula next. You have had tough matches with her. How do you look ahead to that match?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, very difficult match is going to be for sure. I’m going to try to focus on myself. She can serve pretty good. As soon as I get the opportunity, I will try to take it.

Q. The way you were playing today, so easily and freely, you make tennis look really, really easy, but do you work a lot on your game to make it look easy for people like us? Does tennis come really easily to you?

ELENA RYBAKINA: No, it doesn’t come easy at all. I’m trying to work on different things on the court. If it looks easy, I’m happy. But definitely it’s not an easy sport.

I’m happy with the way I served today, how just overall the match went.

Q. Does the ball sort of come exactly where you want it to come, is that why sometimes a match might look easier than it is, or…

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, it all depends on the conditions. I think today was a little bit faster. I think also this court is different from center court. It’s all depends.

But yeah, as I said, I always play aggressive. Today a lot of things went my way.

Q. It’s not always easy to play three weeks in a row. How have you mentally handled this month? You started with a new coach, listening to new input, playing all these matches. How are you feeling?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Feeling well. I think I played not bad. Of course, I’m not still at my best. A lot of things to improve.

But overall I’m happy with the way I played in Abu Dhabi, the way we worked also a little bit before with Davide. Doha, too.

Happy to be back in Dubai. It’s like a home for me here. So really enjoying this time here.

Q. Is it difficult having so much interest in your coaching side because of the WTA news? Is it tricky? How are you managing that part?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, it’s not easy of course. As I said in previous press conferences, it’s very disappointed the way it’s been handled, just the outcome.

But anyway, I need to focus on my tournament. It’s what I’m trying to do. Yeah, hopefully I can just keep on playing, keep on winning.

Q. With all the top players here, are you thinking to change something in your style of play to improve or to beat maybe Iga or Aryna?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, for now I’m taking match by match. There is still a lot of good opponents. No matter the ranking, I feel like a lot of still dangerous players.

Yeah, I’m just taking it match by match and trying to improve my game.

Q. You have a good amount of friends on tour. Have they been in touch with you over the last couple weeks, offering support? Has that been helpful to you?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, not really. No one offered any support. Honestly don’t need. There is couple players I’m in touch more. But to say that I have very, very close friends on tour, it’s I think not true just because we competing against each other. Everybody’s surrounded by their teams.

Yeah, I have a couple of good friends, let’s say. But again, it’s all depends on time, how much you can spend outside or not.

Q. What do you do to de-stress? Do you play games on the phone? I don’t know. Do you like to shop…

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, here first of all, as I said, I’m almost home. It’s just nice to be in the apartment, go to the places you usually go. For now I’m just doing my routines. Since the tournament is still going, I’m just focusing on my basic daily routines.

Q. What are your go-to spots here? Are you a beach girl, shopping, dining?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, I would say a bit of everything. It’s all depends on the moods and how much energy you have.

Yeah, I love to go to the beach. Spend some time shopping. But for this you need a bit more energy. So it’s all depends.

Q. When did you get an apartment here?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Two years ago.

Q. You have a new YouTube channel.

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah.

Q. Are you going to show us a little bit more about your inside life?

ELENA RYBAKINA: We will see (smiling). For now it’s still takes time to do these kind of things. But in the future, hopefully, yes.

Q. Maybe your sister going to help you with this?

ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, we’ll see.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports