Australian Open finalist Elena Rybakina says she feels confident playing on all surfaces and enjoys adapting to the demands of the game.
The 23-year-old world number 10, who is most at home on hard surfaces, won her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon last year after beating Ons Jabeur in the final of the grasscourt major.
“I feel pretty well on all surfaces, and for me, it’s actually also fun to change the surface; that’s the beauty of the sport, to adapt all the time,” Rybakina, who was born in Russia but represents Kazakhstan, told Eurosport.
With her run to last month’s final at Melbourne Park, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka, she became the first Kazakh tennis player to enter the top 10 in the singles rankings.
Rybakina said she was not successful on grass during her junior career but has improved over the years.
“I feel confident on the grass, which I actually never thought I’m going to be that good on,” Rybakina said.
“Because as a junior I played maybe one or two times and it was not successful so when I started to work with my coach I said I don’t really like grass, I don’t know how to play on it.
“But in the end, it’s for now my best achievement. My first WTA trophy was on clay, so I think I can play on all surfaces.”

Djokovic on Indian Wells entry list but expected to miss out
Novak Djokovic was named on the entry list for the upcoming Indian Wells tennis tournament yesterday, but he is expected to be barred from travelling to the United States to compete due to his ongoing refusal to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
The Serbian world number one is a five-time champion at the ATP 1000 event but has not played a match on the hard courts in the Southern California desert since 2019.
The United States has in place a vaccine requirement for foreign air travellers that is not expected to be lifted before main draw action kicks off on March 9.
US President Joe Biden’s administration last month said it would lift Covid-19 emergency declarations on May 11, nearly three years after the United States imposed sweeping pandemic measures to curb the spread of the illness.
Indian Wells tournament director Tommy Haas recently said that it would be a “disgrace” if Djokovic was not allowed to compete at Indian Wells and other tournaments in the United States this year.
Haas said Indian Wells organisers would do everything to help Djokovic’s chances of playing in the tournament.
Djokovic, one of the most high-profile unvaccinated athletes in the world, missed last year’s Australian Open and was deported from the country due to his vaccine status.
He regained entry into the tournament this year and won it to claim a record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title and the world number one ranking.
The 35-year-old has previously stated he would miss Grand Slams rather than have a Covid vaccine.
Even if Djokovic is unable to compete at Indian Wells there will still be plenty of talent on show.
Spanish great Rafael Nadal, teenage world number two Carlos Alcaraz and defending champion Taylor Fritz were among those named the entry list.
One the women’s side, world number one and defending champion Iga Swiatek, Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka and rising Americans Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff will compete for the prestigious title.