“In Kazakhstan they try to declare Rybakina a pupil of their system, but you have to be objective” – ​​Tarpishchev

President of the Russian Tennis Federation (RTF) Shamil Tarpishchev in an interview with said that the tennis player Elena Rybakina – the result of the work of the Russian tennis school, and in Kazakhstan they are trying to declare her a student of their system.

23-year-old Rybakina was born in Moscow and until June 2018 played for Russia. After that, she received Kazakh citizenship. Rybakina won Wimbledon in 2022.

– Did you see the reaction of Kazakhstan to your remarks on Rybakina? Do you still insist that Elena is “our product”?

– I insist. Well, how else? Tarpischev told . – I understand that in Kazakhstan they fight for the honor of the uniform, they try to declare Rybakina a student of their system, but let’s be objective. If she left when she was 12-13, there’s no question, I wouldn’t say that. But a man played with us from 6 to 18 years old. Which Kazakh school are we talking about?

There is no point in discussing anything here. But she represents Kazakhstan. Every athlete seeks where he is better. Medvedev was also once offered to change his nationality to Kazakh, he refused.

The Kazakhs currently have a dozen and a half of our players playing. This is where the math comes in. An athlete has the right to sign their own signature from the age of 18. After all, we only cover the training costs. What if they offer several times more? It’s hard to disagree. The guys are okay for the money; After all, they have dedicated their lives to sport, it is their bread, their choice. In Kazakhstan there were no tennis players like Rybakina, and at that time we had 5-6 people.

And what they write… You know, I don’t even pay attention to it. I am convinced that Rybakina is “our product”, and that they are trying to prove otherwise. Throw away the last five years of her training process, where would she be? Kazakhstan certainly would not have taken Elena.