Elena Rybakina, the current world number three, began her grass-court campaign in Berlin with a straight-set victory on Tuesday. This tournament serves as a warm-up for her upcoming title defence at Wimbledon in July.
In her opening match, the Kazakh player defeated Polina Kudermetova with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-2, securing her spot in the round of 16. Following her initial win, Rybakina faced a three-hour delay due to a thunderstorm that swept across Berlin before play could resume.
Having reached the final of the Australian Open earlier this year, the 24-year-old was considered one of the favorites at the French Open. However, she had to withdraw early from the tournament due to illness.
The WTA tournament in Berlin, being held just two weeks before Wimbledon, boasts a star-studded lineup with nine of the top ten-ranked women in the world participating.
