THE MODERATOR: Elena, welcome back to Stuttgart. As a former champion, how does it feel to come back to a tournament like this?
ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, it's really nice to be back. I didn't play last year, but yeah, really excited to start here my clay court season.
THE MODERATOR: Questions.
Q. So this tournament is obviously a little bit unique where it's indoor red clay court. Just talk about adjusting to an indoor clay court tournament. What do you think about your game suits it well, given that you're a former champion here?
ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, I think indoor, it's easier to play, no conditions, no sun, no wind. Honestly, I have been practicing now mostly indoor also.
I think it's great to start here. Even if it's not outdoor and maybe not real clay, you still slide, and as a start, I think it's really nice.
Q. If I'm not wrong, you had your clay court preparation in Bratislava, right?
ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah.
Q. How was this period of time for you? Did you catch any sort of rest after Miami, or you went straight to the clay season?
ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, I had a couple of days off, and honestly, jet lag was pretty tough from Miami, so I was mostly sleeping.
Yeah, after we started preparation, I needed to do some work physically, because Indian Wells, Miami, long tournaments, and on the last match, I felt that my fitness dropped a little bit and I definitely need to work on it.
It was just couple days, and then preparation.
Q. You started the start of season very strong. You said that your goal is to become World No. 1, which Aryna Sabalenka not competing here, does it give you any extra motivation for this week?
ELENA RYBAKINA: I don't really think about it so much, because she's not here, but I still need to perform. That's the first thing. And if I do the right things, I think the most important to get, achieve this and somehow to maintain, and it's very difficult, yeah, difficult goal, and I'm working for it, so hopefully it will happen.
But I don't really look at the points each tournament. I just know that I need to do well, at this point to come almost till the end of the tournament no matter what I play.
Yeah, it's mostly about improvement and consistency. If it happens, it's great.
Q. I know you didn't play Billie Jean King this past week, but I saw obviously Kazakhstan advanced to the finals. What are your thoughts about your country advancing?
ELENA RYBAKINA: Yeah, really proud. It was some crazy matches there. Yeah, Yulia with Bianca, I just saw some highlights after, but it was very long match. Then I'm happy that also younger girls managed to play. Yeah, super happy for them. I think it's great to be again in the final stages of Billie Jean King Cup.
Q. Considering the end of 2025, the start of the new season, you did incredibly well basically everywhere, you almost went to the final in almost every tournament, I just wonder if there is something that you are really proud after a long time that you had to regroup yourself and start again to go to the top?
ELENA RYBAKINA: Well, of course I'm proud of the work we did with the team. For now, it's been consistent, the result, and the way I played from end of last year and this year too.
I played also after Australia, which was really short time, but I played Doha, Dubai. Wasn't feeling the best, but overall, I'm really happy with all the tournaments, all the matches I played.
Some matches was really close, but in the end, the consistency for now is there, and I'm just hoping to maintain and keep on going.
Q. This is more of a random question, but I have been asking some of the players, it's about tournament music and DJs, not necessarily here but in between sets and changeovers. I'm curious what's your preferred type of music? And do you enjoy the tournament music, or do you find some songs overplayed or things like that?
ELENA RYBAKINA: I actually like when there is music on the court, on the changeovers, and of course when you enter the courts.
I would say just need to give some energy, and it's nice for the crowd. I think now Indian Wells, Miami was good DJ, what I remember what they were choosing. Yeah, I think that's important, not only for the players, it's just for the crowd.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports