Kazakhstan's tennis stars shine with Rybakina's comeback and Kulambayeva's streak
Kazakhstan's top-ranked player Elena Rybakina has advanced to the Round of 16 at the WTA 1000 tournament in Madrid, Spain, showcasing remarkable determination in a hard-fought victory. In her match against China's Qinwen Zheng—the 2024 Olympic champion—Rybakina staged a comeback to win 4–6, 6–4, 6–3. Her next opponent will be Anastasia Potapova, who has represented Austria since 2026.
In the men's draw at the Madrid Masters, Alexander Bublik—after his singles exit at the hands of Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas—continues to excel in doubles. Partnering with Australia's Max Purcell, he defeated Brazil's Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos 6–3, 6–7, [10–6]. The duo will now face the tournament's fifth seeds, Marcelo Arévalo of El Salvador and Croatia's Mate Pavić, for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, Zhibek Kulambayeva is celebrating a triumph at the ITF tournament in Baotou, China. Teamed with Russia's Ekaterina Reyngold, she claimed her first title together, dominating Italy's Dalila Cerubini and China's Yuanyuan Cheng 6–1, 6–1 in the final. For Kulambayeva, this marks her fourth consecutive trophy and a 17-match winning streak in doubles without a single loss since September of last year.
