Elena Rybakina.Getty/Robert Prange
- Elena Rybakina is the first singles player representing Kazakhstan to reach the final of a Grand Slam.
- She plays Ons Jabeur in the women's final at Wimbledon on Saturday.
Elena Rybakina reached her inaugural Grand Slam final on Thursday when she beat Simona Halep in the semifinals of Wimbledon.
But the 23-year-old didn't just beat Halep, a former Wimbledon champion – she took her to pieces.
In a match that lasted just 1 hour and 15 minutes, Rybakina dominated the 2019 champion from start to finish with her impressively powerful forehand and ferocious serve to secure a 6-3, 6-3 win.
"Simona is a great champion, but I was really focused today and really happy with my performance," the world number 23 said after the match.
"I think today I was mentally prepared and did everything I could. It was an amazing match."
In reaching the Wimbledon final, where she plays Tunisia's Ons Jabeur on Saturday, Rybakina has become the youngest female Wimbledon finalist since 2015 and the first singles player representing Kazakhstan to reach the final of a Grand Slam.
Here's everything you need to know about the fast-rising Kazakh star.