The grass courts of Wimbledon, steeped in tradition and prestige, have long been a stage where champions expect to shine under the spotlight of Centre Court or Court No. 1. For Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon women’s singles champion, the 2025 Championships brought a bitter twist. The 26-year-old Kazakhstani star, seeded 11th, suffered a shock third-round defeat to Denmark’s 23rd seed Clara Tauson, falling 7-6(6), 6-3 on Court No. 2—a court she felt was beneath her status as a former champion. “I was probably expecting Court One, but when I saw the schedule for [Court] Two, I mean, nothing I can do in that situation,” Rybakina said, her voice tinged with disappointment during her post-match press conference. “Of course, it’s much nicer to play on Court One or Centre [Court].”
Rybakina’s frustration was palpable as she reflected on being relegated to the tournament’s third most prominent court, a decision that sparked debate about how Wimbledon treats its past champions. The match against Tauson, which opened the day’s play on Court No. 2, saw three other women’s matches scheduled on the more prestigious Centre Court and Court No. 1. Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek faced Danielle Collins on Centre Court, while Court No. 1 hosted No. 7 seed Mirra Andreeva against Hailey Baptiste, followed by 10th seed Emma Navarro versus defending champion Barbora Krejcikova. Rybakina’s assignment to Court No. 2 wasn’t a one-off slight; her first-round match against Elina Avanesian had been played on the outer Court 12, and her second-round victory over Maria Sakkari took place on Court No. 1. “This isn’t the first time I’ve had to play on another court,” she noted, acknowledging the scheduling realities while subtly underscoring her discontent.
The conditions on Court No. 2, exposed to the elements unlike the roofed Centre Court and Court No. 1, added to Rybakina’s grievances. A rain delay interrupted the match, and windy conditions challenged both players. “I mean, there is a roof, of course, it’s much easier because you know that you won’t stop,” she said, highlighting the advantage of the main courts’ protection from weather disruptions. Yet, Rybakina was quick to clarify that the court assignment wasn’t the sole reason for her defeat. “It’s the same court for everyone. Same for my opponent, so it didn’t matter,” she admitted, giving credit to Tauson’s superior adaptation. The Dane, who secured her first grass-court win over Rybakina, won 73% of her first-serve points and capitalized on Rybakina’s struggles, including 31 unforced errors and a lackluster 53% first-serve percentage.
Rybakina’s defeat marked the first time in her five Wimbledon appearances that she failed to reach the second week, a stark contrast to her stellar record at the All England Club. With a 90.5% win rate (19-2) entering the 2025 tournament, surpassed only by Steffi Graf and Ann Jones in the Open Era, Rybakina has been a grass-court force. Her 2022 title run saw her drop just two sets, defeating Ons Jabeur in a thrilling final, and she reached the semifinals in 2024, falling to Krejcikova. “I think it was very close before the rain, and after we came back on the court, I had chances to win the first set, but again, it was too many unforced errors for my side,” she reflected. “The serve was not there at all, and it’s very difficult for me to play, of course, without the serve. She played well, I think she adjusted to conditions a bit better.”
The scheduling controversy reignited discussions about Wimbledon’s treatment of its champions, particularly those like Rybakina, whose quiet demeanor and Russian-born, Kazakhstani-represented status have sometimes left her overlooked. Her 2022 victory, marred by the WTA’s decision to strip Wimbledon of ranking points due to the ban on Russian and Belarusian players, denied her a deserved top-10 ranking. Similar scheduling slights have followed her, from Court 12 at the 2023 US Open to this year’s Wimbledon assignments. Social media buzzed with fan frustration, one user lamenting, “As a former champion, she deserved better from Wimbledon!” Others noted that British players often receive preferential treatment on main courts, a sentiment Rybakina herself avoided fueling.
As Tauson advances to face Swiatek in the fourth round, Rybakina turns her focus to 2026, her ambition undeterred. “Disappointed with the defeat, no doubt I’ll return with title ambitions,” she vowed. Her icy-cool demeanor and powerful game, once described as producing a “carrot-snap” sound on her groundstrokes, remain a threat on grass. For now, the sting of Court No. 2 and a missed chance at a second Venus Rosewater Dish linger, but Rybakina’s resolve to let her racket do the talking ensures her story at Wimbledon is far from over.
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