Rybakina gives grants to Kazakh rising stars

Elena Rybakina has kept her promise to Kazakhstan’s most talented female juniors

Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina holds the trophy as she poses for a picture with junior tennis players in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan July 12, 2022. (AI/Reuters/Panoramic)

Carrie Dunn

March 28, 2023

Elena Rybakina has used her Wimbledon prize money to give grants to promising young female talents in Kazakhstan, according to the country’s tennis federation.

She has given 2.5 million tenge (around £5,000 pounds sterling) each to 14 players: Linara Bulesheva, Polina Barabanova, Amina Nurmakhan, Ariana Gogulina, Satima Toregen, Eva Korysheva, Albina Kakenova, Asylzhan Arystanbekova, Dana Baidaulet, Inkar Duisebai, Aya Nupbai, Polina Sleptsova, Sandugash Kenzhebaeva, and Zara Darken.

After she won Wimbledon in 2022, she met with Kazakhstan’s prime minister Alikhan Smailov, whose press service quoted her as saying then: “I think it would be right to organise a tournament or establish a grant for young players, because I received a lot of support here. Now it’s my turn to help the younger generation develop.”

Rybakina, who was born in Moscow, switched nationality in 2018 due to the financial support on offer in Kazakhstan.

She has also made a recent donation to a charity that helps homeless animals in the country.

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