Elena Rybakina may represent Kazakhstan, but Slovakia was the first country to roll out the red carpet for the new world No. 1. Fresh from her US Open triumph, the Moscow-born WTA player was welcomed at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava by Slovak President Peter Pellegrini — a move that might seem surprising until you learn that she has called Slovakia home for the past six years.
Did you know that the current World No. 1 in women’s tennis has called Slovakia home for the past six years?
Although Elena Rybakina represents Kazakhstan on the international stage, Slovakia has become her second home. She spends part of each year here training and preparing… pic.twitter.com/KMT8Wmvd0W
— Peter Pellegrini (@PellegriniP_) September 16, 2026
Rybakina has long maintained a base in Slovakia, spending part of each year there training and preparing for the biggest tournaments on the calendar. For a player who spends much of her life travelling from one tournament to another, the Central European country has become an important part of her sporting journey. As Pellegrini put it, Slovakia is Rybakina’s “second home.”
The 27-year-old Rybakina was presented with a bouquet of flowers by the President. Dressed casually in a beige collared shirt and loose white trousers, she posed with her US Open trophy and also brought a Yonex racquet as a gift for Pellegrini.
