Elina (Elena) Rybakina is from Kazakhstan, though she was born in Russia.

Nationality and Federation

Rybakina was born on 17 June 1999 in Moscow, Russia, and originally represented Russia in junior tennis. In 2018, at age 19, she acquired Kazakhstani citizenship and switched her sporting federation to Kazakhstan, where the national tennis federation offered her financial support to pursue her professional career.

Since then, she has competed internationally under the Kazakh flag and is officially listed as a Kazakhstani player by the WTA. She is recognized as the first player from Kazakhstan to win a Grand Slam (2022 Wimbledon) and to reach a top‑10 world ranking.

Current Representation

Today, Rybakina is a Russian‑born Kazakhstani citizen and represents Kazakhstan in all tournaments, including the Grand Slams, WTA events, and the Billie Jean King Cup.

There has been some discussion online about her dual heritage, but officially and in competition, she is a tennis player from Kazakhstan.

Quick Scoop
→ Which country is Rybakina from?
→ Kazakhstan (born in Russia, represents Kazakhstan since 2018).