Rybakina wins first match after Australian Open victory

Two-time Grand Slam champion Elena Rybakina defeated China’s Wang Xinyu (World No. 33) 6-2, 6-4 in her first match at the WTA 1000 Qatar TotalEnergies Open following her victory at the 2026 Australian Open.

The Kazakhstani tennis player skipped the first round in Doha, while Wang defeated Colombia’s Emiliana Arango (No. 49) 6-1, 7-5. Securing breaks in the sixth and eighth games, Rybakina took the opening set 6-2 on her first set point.

In the second set, the 2023 French Open doubles champion found her game — breaking the favorite in the fifth game and prompting Rybakina to refocus. Winning three games in a row, the Kazakhstani secured the match in 1 hour 20 minutes, 6-2, 6-4, scoring 71 points to Wang’s 56 and recording two aces to her opponent’s one.

To advance to the quarterfinals, Rybakina will face China’s Qinwen Zheng (No. 26).

Another Kazakhstani representative at the tournament is Anna Danilina, who returned to the top 10 of the doubles rankings on Feb. 9. Paired with her long-term partner Aleksandra Krunić (No. 13), she will face Canada’s Leylah Fernandez (No. 80) and France’s Kristina Mladenovic (No. 70).

The WTA Qatar Open — currently known as the Qatar TotalEnergies Open — was established in 2001. Kazakhstani players have reached the finals of the Qatari tournament twice.

The total prize money for the current outdoor hard-court tournament is $4,088,211. The singles champion will receive $385,000, while $110,000 will be shared by the winning doubles pair.