LONDON (AFP, REUTERS) - Newly crowned Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina broke down in tears on Saturday (July 9) after she was again confronted by questions over her Russian roots.
Rybakina, born in Moscow but representing Kazakhstan since 2018, came back from one set down to defeat Tunisia's Ons Jabeur in the women's final.
Had Jabeur won, it would have been a historic first Grand Slam title for an Arab-African, and indeed for an Arab or African.
But it was her opponent's nationality that was more in the limelight. Rybakina's triumph came in a tournament where Russian players were banned, following their country's invasion of Ukraine.
"I don't know what's going to happen. It's always some news, but I cannot do anything about this," said the 23-year-old when asked if the Russian government would be tempted to politicise her Grand Slam triumph.
"I'm playing for Kazakhstan a very long time. I represent them on the biggest tournaments, Olympics, which was a dream come true."
Meanwhile, the men's finalists seemed to have patched up a stormy relationship.
A bromance between Serbia's Novak Djokovic and Australia's Nick Kyrgios was the last thing fans expected, but the two players have buried the hatchet and even decided to go for dinner, with Sunday's final winner footing the bill.