Month: November 2025

The Almaty Open, which has just celebrated its fifth edition, has been recognized by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) with a Standards of Excellence Award, securing its position as one of the most well-respected tournaments in the ATP 250 category.  Thanks to the efforts of the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation, tennis in Kazakhstan has taken another progressive step forward.

Photo: Kazakhstan Tennis Federation

Almaty Open receives top award

The receipt of such an award is wholly reflective of the success of the tournament.  The achievement is based on several categories, including the highest player ratings across organization, playing conditions, and service quality. 

Organisers have been able to create a high-value tournament for both players and supporters alike, reaffirming the commitment to meet and exceed the ATP’s standards.  Almaty was one of three tournaments to be awarded this year in the Asia-Pacific region, alongside Dubai (ATP 500) and Shanghai (ATP1000). And, as an impressive distinction, Almaty is the only ATP 250 event in the CIS. 

Praise for ‘long-term strategy’ of Bulat Utemuratov

The head of the ATP 250 Almaty Open Organizing committee and Vice President of the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation, Yuri Polskiy, said: “We are delighted to receive such a prestigious award from the ATP for the first time. This achievement reflects our continued commitment to providing the highest level of sporting experiences for both players and fans. The tournament’s standards are part of a long-term strategy by our President, Bulat Utemuratov, whose goal is to elevate the Almaty Open to ATP 500 status. This will attract more world-class tennis stars to Kazakhstan and further boost the sport’s popularity and development nationwide.”

Winning an ATP 250 tournament grants the champion 250 ranking points. Therefore, any potential move to gain ATP 500 status would boost Kazakhstan’s reputation even further – and has the potential to frequently bring household names back to Kazakhstan’s largest city. Former world number one Daniil Medvedev claimed the title here last month.

The award is a testament to Kazakhstan’s growing presence in the tennis world. The Federation is now aiming to cement Astana’s place on the tennis calendar, and successes such as these could serve to attract more superstars and fans from across the globe.

SOURCE: https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/almaty-open-receives-prestigious-atp-standards-of-excellence-award-302611512.html?tc=eml_cleartime

The victory in Riyadh earned the Kazakhstani a record-breaking prize, 1,500 ranking points and the Barys Order from the country’s president.

Elena Rybakina became the champion of the WTA Finals held in Riyadh. In the final, the Kazakhstani tennis player confidently won against world number one Aryna Sabalenka with a score of 6:3, 7:6(0). This was Rybakina’s first career success at the final tournament of the season.

Details

This victory is historic not only for the athlete herself but for all of Kazakhstani tennis. Since the competition’s inception in 1972, Rybakina became the first woman from an Asian country to win the WTA Finals. Before her, China’s Li Na (2013) and Zheng Qinwen (2024) had only reached the final.

Records and achievements

For her victory in Riyadh, Rybakina earned 1,500 ranking points and a record-breaking prize in women’s tennis history – 5.2 million dollars. In the updated WTA rankings, which will be published on November 10, Elena will rise to the fifth place.

Furthermore, the Kazakhstani became the first female tennis player since 2016 to hit more than 500 aces in a season, and also leads the world in wins over top-10 opponents – seven in a row. She now has 11 WTA titles, including two at WTA 1000 tournaments and a victory at Wimbledon.

“It was an incredible week” – Bulat Utemuratov praised

During the awards ceremony, Elena Rybakina thanked her opponent, her team, and the fans, especially acknowledging the presence of Gennady Golovkin, who came to support her at the final.

“Thank you! It was an incredible week. I did not expect any particular result. To get this far is amazing. I want to congratulate Aryna on reaching the number one line in the rankings for the second year in a row – an incredible achievement. It was a tough game today, but that’s tennis!” said Elena Rybakina.

She thanked her team, coaches, the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation, and the organization’s president, Bulat Utemuratov, and expressed gratitude to her family and everyone who supports her career.

President’s reaction

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated Elena Rybakina on her brilliant victory and noted her contribution to the development of national sports.

“You demonstrated exceptional mastery and an unwavering will to win. I congratulate you on this magnificent achievement, which will remain in the history of Kazakhstani and world tennis,” the head of state said in his congratulatory message.

To celebrate her victory, Tokayev signed a decree awarding Elena Rybakina the Barys Order of 3rd Class.

What’s next

The victory in Riyadh was Rybakina’s 11th career victory, and it extended her winning streak to 11 consecutive matches. After a busy season, the tennis player is heading off on vacation – preparations for the new year will begin in 5-6 weeks.

Who is Elena Rybakina

Elena Rybakina is the number one ranked tennis player in Kazakhstan and one of the strongest tennis players in the world. Born in Moscow, she has been representing Kazakhstan since 2018. The 2022 Wimbledon champion, 2023 Australian Open finalist, and winner of 11 WTA titles, including two WTA 1000 tournaments, is known for her powerful serve, consistent play, and calm style on the court.

Source: BesMedia.kz

Having qualified for his first Masters 1000 semi-final, the world number 16 is a role model in Kazakhstan, where his divisive yet fascinating profile is unanimously admired and contributes to the development of tennis.

It’s all fair game, and deep down there’s a lot of love-hate between Alexander Bublik and Paris. While he didn’t hold back in his criticism of the Parisian crowd on Tuesday, taking a swipe at Corentin Moutet after his second-round victory and not mincing words, the Kazakhstani is clearly enjoying himself in the capital this year.

Having been at rock bottom at the start of the season, he knows full well that it was at Roland-Garros that he resurrected his form last June, reaching his first Grand Slam quarter-final. Having become a completely different man, the world number 16 has since racked up four titles in as many finals and a total of six victories, a streak that is still ongoing, against top 10 players this season. And he has already taken down
two of them this week, defeating Taylor Fritz (4th) in two sets on Thursday and then Alex de Minaur (6th) on Friday after a very hard-fought battle (6-7 [5], 6-4, 7-5), before attempting to make it three in a row this afternoon against Félix Auger-Aliassime (10th).

This consistency, unexpected for the most unpredictable player on the circuit, has propelled him, at 28, to the cusp of the top 10 and also, for the first time, to the semifinals of a Masters 1000 tournament. He thus becomes the first Kazakhstani man to reach the final four in this category. A symbolic milestone for the man who is the star attraction of the Central Asian country, where his eccentricity and repeated outbursts have not tarnished his reputation.

Quite the opposite, in fact, as Bublik has been held up as a role model in his adopted country since 2016.
Shaped in Russia, at 19 he joined, like many others before and after him, the project of neighbouring Kazakhstan, which has long relied on young Russian players seeking funding to reach the next level at the world level. Nearly ten years later, the country is trying to shift its development strategy, attracting “its” young people to tennis to compete with ice hockey and combat sports.

A unique player, advocating a vision of tennis and professionalism far removed from the usual standards, the eccentric Bublik remains, along with Elena Rybakina , Wimbledon champion in 2022, a major selling point.

“He plays a huge role in making our sport more attractive to young people,” explains Bulat Utemuratov , the billionaire president of the federation, who spearheaded the massive development of Kazakh tennis. “I know there’s been a lot of talk about his nationality. But our goal isn’t to attract established players; we give talented individuals a chance, and Bublik was in that situation. He started representing Kazakhstan long before he reached the top; he came to us because he was struggling. It was his path to professional tennis. Now, he inspires our young players, and it’s very important for us to have a recognized champion who brings that passion.”

Also naturalized in 2024, Alexander Shevchenko (ranked 99th) has witnessed the appeal of his Davis Cup partner. “He has such a powerful media presence here. It’s partly thanks to his character and playing style. A lot of people are interested in tennis to see him hit shots that only he can; he’s very good at that.” His image plastered all over the posters for the Almaty ATP 250 in early October, Bublik lived up to his reputation for being unpredictable by standing up the organizers a few days before the tournament. But that didn’t stop him from being the center of attention, especially among the young players coming up through the local training program.

“He shares everything and will naturally help us,” said Amir Omarkhanov, 17 years old and ranked 1002nd in the ATP. “We’ve hit together several times at Wimbledon and Roland-Garros, and he makes sure everything is easy and relaxed.” He’s the one who makes the first move, which makes me relaxed when I’m with him, it’s simple.

“He’s clearly an example for the country,” continued Beibit Zhukayev, ranked 292nd in the world. “It’s always better to have these great players with us than against us. For juniors and even younger players, he’s the most inspiring. I was one of those young people who looked to him as an example to progress, win matches and tournaments. He shows the way forward.”

With his victory on Friday against Alex de Minaur, Alexander Bublik has now racked up a sixth consecutive win against top 10 players.

SOURCE: L’Equipe