Tennis
Perfecting the art of the poker face with tennis champion Elena Rybakina
2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina tells the Mind Set Win podcast how she built a winning mentality that controls her on-court emotions and keeps her opponents guessing.
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Elena Rybakina might just be one of the calmest elite athletes performing on the world stage right now. If you need proof, just rewind to Centre Court during the 2022 Wimbledon final.
Whether blasting a winner, losing her serve on break point, or winning an important rally her expression remains the same; unflustered. Even after clinching the championship and changing her life forever, she’s remarkably cool, calm and collected.
And this isn’t by chance. In this episode of Mind Set Win hosted by Cédric Dumont and York-Peter Klöppel, we’re treated to a fascinating interview with the Grand Slam champion as she lets us inside her winning mindset on the tennis court.
Describing herself as a calm person who attempts to keep a straight face when playing a sport she likes to call “active chess”, the 24-year-old is a grandmaster in the balancing act of controlling her emotions and keeping her opponents guessing.
Rybakina warmed up for the Australian Open by winning the Brisbane International title and when she arrives in Melbourne for the first Grand Slam of the year beginning on January 14 she'll once again be taking everything in her stride.
The world number three says: “I'm trying to be calm and not show if I'm upset or angry - no matter the situation.
“It helps me and maybe also sometimes confuses the opponents, especially in the beginning when nobody knew me. It took them longer to figure out my weak spots.
“Maybe other players are too angry or showing too many emotions, they work to become calmer, for me it’s the opposite which is a bit rare.”
Rybakina has a killer serve
© Mihai Stetcu/Red Bull Content Pool
Compared to other athletes, I'm trying to show no emotion
Episode takeaway
Klöppel explains to the listeners that non-verbal communication is just as important as communicating verbally as “you can use body language as a way to gain back control of the situation.” Here’s a two-minute exercise you can try at home to help you display confidence through your body posture.
- Firstly, try and get a recording of yourself standing in front of people, maybe when you are presenting at work or talking within a group of friends.
- Look at your body language and analyse what message you were sending. Were your arms folded? Was your head up? Were your feet apart and parallel? Were your shoulders broad and relaxed? All these are examples of a positive and powerful body stance.
- Every day, stand in front of a mirror and practice just for two minutes holding yourself in this stance.
- Remember, the more you practice, the easier it will be to take back control of a situation through your non-verbal communication.
Calm on the court, but full of adrenaline
© Mihai Stetcu/Red Bull Content Pool
Rybakina’s mentality and powerful all-court game have seen her consistently ranked inside the world’s top 10 and regularly competing for the biggest trophies in the sport.
As she admits though, utilising her emotions on court is a technique she’s constantly refining to help give her the maximum advantage in match-defining situations.
Alongside wanting to remain calm regardless of the circumstance, she also wants to let her opponent know she’s still fighting and fully invested if things aren’t going her way.
I’m really holding everything inside and not letting it go
"Sometimes, if you let it go though it can actually help you,” the Kazakh explains.
“If I’m not playing well and the shots aren’t working, I need to show my opponent I’m still there and I’m still fighting. This is something I’m trying to work on and something I need to improve.”
The greatest triumph of Rybakina’s career to date came at Wimbledon when she defeated Ons Jabeur in three sets to win her maiden Grand Slam title.
With no grass court form heading into the event, little was expected from the 17th seed. But as she reveals to Dumont, it was her mental fitness that enabled her to reach her peak performance level.
Elena Rybakina is currently ranked sixth in the world
© Mihai Stetcu/Red Bull Content Pool
“The mood wasn’t good coming into the grass season,” she explains. “I was really tired and mentally, I needed a break.
“I went on vacation completely for seven days which nobody does in the middle of the grass season. My sister joined me in London and I totally relaxed.”
With a clear mind and refreshed outlook, Rybakina came out swinging at SW19 and powered into the final with impressive displays of aggressive serving and relentless groundstrokes.
Despite the straight face, Rybakina admits to being “very nervous and emotional” at the beginning which was a contributing factor in her losing the first set. It was an inspired self-talk in a bathroom break that turned the tide in her favour.
“I was telling myself ‘It’s just a match, do what you usually do and forget about what’s happening around you. If you win or lose, you’ve already done a great job, so enjoy it’.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
Find out more – including simple exercises to do at home – in Mind Set Win.
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