WIMBLEDON champion Elena Rybakina played a starring role in Kazakhstan’s United Cup victory over Spain, winning both her singles and doubles in the 2-1 result on the opening day of the 2025 season. After a one-sided pair of singles that split the difference between the nations, a tight doubles decider ultimately secured Kazakhstan the victory.

It was Spain that got off to the perfect start, with Pablo Carreno Busta easily taking care of his Kazakh opponent Alexander Shevchenko in the men’s singles. Heavily favoured in the clash, Carreno Busta actually lost his opening service game to go 0-1 down, but broke back immediately and won 12 of the last 14 games to secure the 6-2 6-1 win in 64 minutes.

Carreno Busta won 78 per cent of his first serve points and 69 per cent of his second serve points, not suffering another break after the first game, but converting five breaks from seven chances of his own. Now ranked 196th in the world, the former Top 10 player is working his way back up the world rankings, and the dominant result mirrored that of his 6-2 6-2 triumph over Shevchenko at Winston-Salem earlier this year.

The result was key for Spain given Grand Slam champion Rybakina was even more heavily favoured in her singles to level the tie against Spanish representative Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. Though the world number 54 put up a fight, she was no match for the talented Top 10er, as Rybakina won 69 and 65 per cent of her first and second serve points.

Incredibly, Rybakina only created five break point chances to Bouzas Maneiro’s 10, but showed her extra class by converting four of them, while the Spaniard only converted one. The final result of 6-2 6-3 in an hour and 19 minutes levelled proceedings in the tie and created a live mixed doubles for the two nations.

Unsurprisingly, Rybakina and Shevchenko jumped back on court, as did Carreno Busta, but the Spaniard was joined by doubles specialist Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers. In a remarkably tight contest, both standard sets went to tiebreakers, with Kazakhstan winning the first 7-4, before Spain responded with a 7-2 victory in the second.

In the deciding super tiebreak, Rybakina and Shevchenko got the upper hand to close out the tie 10-7 thanks to six aces and a first serve percentage of 75 per cent. Despite both nations bringing up double-digit break point opportunities just two breaks apiece occured, with the match ultimately coming down to the last few points.

KAZAKHSTAN (2) def. SPAIN (1)

Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) defeated Alexander Shevchenko (KAZ) 6-2 6-1
Elena Rybakina (KAZ) defeated Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP) 6-2 6-3
E. Rybakina/A. Shevchenko (KAZ) defeated Y. Cavalle-Reimers/P. Carreno Busta (ESP) 7-6 6-7 10-7