"Fundamental ignorance" - Elena Rybakina comes under fire from tennis journalist for 'insolent' attitude during French Open press conference

Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg called out Elena Rybakina for giving blunt responses in the press conference following her first-round victory at the 2024 French Open. Rybakina defeated Greet Minnen 6-2, 6-3.

In her post-match press conference, Rybakina appeared blunt while answering questions and gave curt replies. She also exclaimed that the questions were similar.

"I don’t know guys, the questions are quite the same so I don’t know what to say anymore," she said while answering a question regarding her injury-marred 2023 campaign.

"It’s quite basic. You need to work hard; do all the things usually you don’t want to do. I mean, simple question, simple answers. So, guys, something else?" she said while answering a question about what it takes to win a Grand Slam.

Ben Rothenberg, a tennis journalist, criticized Rybakina for her impolite responses and said that the Kazakh was ignorant to treat those who were attempting to add interest to her badly.

"Oleg said it in my last RT, but honestly, for a player to whine about not getting prime court slots and media and then to be aggressively insolent in press when folks are trying to make her interesting…just a fundamental ignorance of how to succeed in the entertainment industry," he wrote.

Rothenberg added that such behaviour was a common trend in Rybakina's press conferences.

"And this is an established pattern with Rybakina particularly, to be clear…entitlement and resentment about not thriving in this part of the job without putting in any effort to do this part of the job," he wrote.

Ben Rothenberg replies to Rybakina's fans

Ben Rothenberg caught fire from Elena Rybakina's fans as they defended the Kazakh. In response to Rothenberg's claim that Rybakina was not trying hard enough to succeed in the tennis entertainment industry, one fan took the 2022 Wimbledon champion's side.

"Last time I checked she’s a tennis player and not in the entertainment industry," the fan wrote.

The journalist responded that tennis was indeed part of the entertainment industry and that tennis players made money because people were willing to spend money to see them play.

"Tennis is absolutely a part of the entertainment industry, like any other spectator sport. Athletes ultimately make money not because they win, but because people are willing to pay to watch them," Rothenberg replied.

In her next match, Elena Rybakina will be up against the 30-year-old Dutch player, Arantxa Rus.