In a thrilling match at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, Elena Rybakina displayed tenacious mental strength to overcome a huge deficit and deny Danielle Collins in three sets.
The Wimbledon champion Rybakina found herself down 1-5 in the final set against an aggressive Collins. But Elena refused to surrender, saving three match points with bold shot-making to keep fighting.
Showing the heart of a champion, Rybakina then reeled off 5 straight games in stunning fashion to even the set at 5-5. A rattled Collins failed to regroup as Elena surged ahead to seal the incredible comeback win.
This nail-biting victory exemplified why Rybakina is a rising force in women’s tennis. Despite the lopsided scoreline, she never wavered in her belief. Elena’s clinical serving and blistering groundstrokes also proved too much for Collins down the stretch.
While Collins was visibly crushed after letting the win slip away, she could only tip her cap to Rybakina’s resilience. As Elena later said, “Matches like this are what you work so hard for.”
With her momentum-shifting 5-set comeback, Rybakina served notice that she will be a tenacious competitor ready to battle anyone in 2023. After claiming her first Grand Slam title last year, Elena looks poised to become an intimidating presence with her combination of power and perseverance.
Rybakina’s thrilling upset over Collins in Abu Dhabi proved once again that in tennis, you can never underestimate the heart of a champion.
