Message from the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation Vice-President Dias Doskarayev in connection with the withdrawals of Kazakh athletes from the Olympic Tennis Event at Paris 2024 Olympics.

Dear fans and tennis fans, dear people of Kazakhstan!

On behalf of the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your unwavering support and interest in our sport. I would like to recap the performance of the Kazakh national tennis team at the Olympic Tennis Event in Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Unfortunately, even before the start of the competition our team lost Elena Rybakina, who fell ill with bronchitis, and Yulia Putintseva, who got injured. Today Elena felt better and was able to record a video message to the fans, which we published on the KTF's website. Earlier Yulia Putintseva also addressed tennis fans with an explanation.
These unforeseen circumstances significantly weakened our team and affected the overall result. In addition, Aleksandr Bublik and Aleksandr Shevchenko lost their matches in the first round of the event. In doubles Alexander Bublik and Alexander Nedovyesov got also eliminated from the Olympics after the first match.
Kazakhstan Tennis Federation recognizes this result as unsatisfactory and takes full responsibility. We did everything we could, but it was not enough. We understand that the expectations of the fans were extremely high, and we apologize for not living up to your hopes. The media and the public had many questions for our Federation, and below we have given answers to the most relevant ones. We remain completely open to both criticism and constructive communication: if you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at any time.
Friends, at the same time I would like to ask you not to blame our tennis players. Earlier many times they proudly performed wearing Kazakhstan’s national uniform at various international competitions, and now it is very hard for them to hear your harsh criticism in their address.
I myself was the captain of the Kazakh national tennis team for many years and I know well that no athlete is immune from sudden injury, illness or unsuccessful performance. And the pace of recovery and return to their best form and new wins depends very much on their morale.
I urge you to support our athletes and hope that our tennis players will soon be able to delight us with a spectacular game and show beautiful tennis as part of the Kazakh national team in the coming Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup ties.
We firmly believe in the potential of our players, including the younger generation of juniors - trainees of our Federation, and we are confident that with your support our national team will be able to produce high results in the international arena.
 
With respect,
 
Dias Doskarayev
Vice-President
Kazakhstan Tennis Federation
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCojPlm_MgMJEzVDVmHYZXVg
Dear fans of Kazakhstan! Finally, I can personally inform you how much I am upset and regret that I was not able to perform at the Olympic Games in Paris for the national team of Kazakhstan.
I was preparing with the team and, unfortunately, right before the start of the competition I fell ill. I had a fever and breathing difficulties, and the doctors disallowed me to go out on court.
I apologize to all Kazakh fans for the unfulfilled expectations and hopes. I am extremely frustrated, as I worked hard enough with my team and wanted to bring a medal, to win it.
I was quite close last time in Tokyo and of course that was my big goal. I hope I can get on court soon.
I want to thank all my compatriots, because every time I play in different parts of the world I always get tremendous support and I am always immensely happy to see the flags in the stadiums.
Thank you very much and I hope to be back on court soon!
 
Q&A OF KAZAKHSTAN TENNIS FEDERATION VICE-PRESIDENT DIAS DOSKARAYEV
1. Why did Rybakina withdraw the day before the Olympics started? Was it not known about her illness earlier?
- We became aware of Elena's illness on July 23, when she felt generally weak and sick. We were in constant touch with her and her physicians, working out all possible options and discussing different types of treatment to get her back on her feet for the Olympics. Elena struggled hard with her illness to have a chance to get on the court and try to play. We hoped for the best till the last moment as there is always a chance to treat an athlete and let him or her play. Unfortunately, when all reasonable deadlines were over, we recognized that she would not be able to come to Paris and play at the Olympics. This was followed by the public announcement.
 
2. When did she fall ill, during preparation or on vacation?
 - Immediately after Wimbledon Elena was advised to take a recovery break, which was necessary after a long tournament. We understood the risks to her health as Elena had suffered from COVID twice in 2023, and this year she withdrew from tournaments in Rome and Indian Wells for health reasons. As a result, it was decided that a short vacation and sea air in Turkey would do her good. There she underwent lighter training on general physical preparation, including swimming, stretching, jogging and so on. This was followed by the intense preparatory period for the Olympics with extensive on-court training. That is when Elena started to experience health issues.
 
3. How is Elena feeling now? Is she being treated at home or in hospital?
- She is feeling better, but still weak. She has given several tests, undergone a full examination by a pulmonologist and other specialists at the Döbling Clinic in Vienna. To date, Elena has received a treatment protocol from doctors and is recovering from the disease in Bratislava, where her training base is located.
 
4. What does she think about the outrage of Kazakh society in social media?
- Undoubtedly, Elena is very upset. She always plays with full devotion for the national team of Kazakhstan, proudly performing under our flag. Like any other person, it hurts her to read negative comments against her.
 
5. Elena has entered the tournament in Toronto, which will start on 6 of August. Is she planning to play in it?
- For tournaments of such a level as Toronto, all top tennis players are automatically entered a few months before the tournament, as it is a WTA requirement. Unfortunately, Elena will not be able to play in Toronto due to health reasons, as she has not fully recovered from her illness and has not even been on the court yet.  Her team is currently preparing medical documents to formalize her withdrawal from the Toronto tournament.
 
6. In which tournaments for the country is Elena planning to play in the near future?
- It is difficult to say what tournaments Elena will play in the near future because she is still undergoing treatment and recovery.
7. Why did Putintseva withdraw right during the warm-up? Did you know about her condition beforehand and still let her get on the court?
- Yes, we knew about Yulia's injury, which she has had at Wimbledon. However, there was a small chance for her to get on the court. You're never sure how the knee, the meniscus, the joints will react to this or that treatment. In Yulia's case, we used mesotherapy, injections, ice, various massages and the help of a physiotherapist. She arrived in Paris, we had been preparing and were thinking of letting her play with a special fixer, on painkillers. We studied all possible options so that later there would be no regrets that we didn't use the slightest chance to recover as it is the Olympics after all. But Yulia felt a lot of pain during the warm-up, and the doctors said that there was a real chance of a complete meniscus tear. Then we decided to let her withdraw from the competition.
 
8. How is Yulia feeling? Is there an understanding when she will be able to return to the court?
- Yulia is undergoing treatment. Doctors have restricted her from returning to the court for the time being, as she needs to rest in order for the swelling of her knee joint to go away. She has a tear of the anterior lateral meniscus, Baker's cyst with a partial tear. We don't know how long the treatment will last.
 
9. Do the national team tennis players receive money from the state budget?
- The Kazakhstan Tennis Federation has already answered this question many times and would like to emphasize again - we do not receive funding from the state budget. The Kazakhstan Tennis Federation is financed only and exclusively at the expense of private sponsorships. We are a public organization, and all our funding is transparent.
 
10. What is the annual budget of the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation now? How much money is allocated for youth development?
- The KTF's annual budget varies depending on the projects, but on average it stays at the level of $12-15 million per year. Why are we talking in US dollars? Because the expenses for tournaments, for players' travel, including juniors, for payments to foreign coaches are tied to foreign currencies. We would like to emphasize that top players cover most of their expenses at the expense of their own prize money from tournaments. In turn, the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation spends 8X more money on its young trainees than on the top players.
 
11. Then why are there only foreigners in the Olympic team again? Where are our homegrown tennis players?
- Here it is very important to note that the Olympic license in tennis is a personal one. Each player with a Kazakh passport performs month after month at various competitions and eventually accumulates a personal ranking. Then, according to this ranking, they get or do not get a license for the Olympics. It is not for the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation to decide who of the tennis players will go to the Olympics. This is the rule of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Second, it is very important to understand that tennis began to develop rapidly in our country only 17 years ago. At that time even getting one license for the Olympic Games in tennis was perceived as something extraordinary, not to mention the expectations of Olympic medals, which could appear only if there were players in the TOP 20 of the world ranking. In fact, in the first 5 years, the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation had been laying down the foundation for future success, when tennis facilities were opened all over the country (now they are 38), when talented children started to be actively attracted to the sport.
In other words, we need at least 3-4 more years for players who are the «product» of the Kazakh school of tennis, such as Amir Omarkhanov, Zangar Nurlanuly, Damir Zhalgasbay, Danial Rakhmatullaev, Polina Sleptsova, Assylzhan Arystanbekova, Eva Korysheva and others, to start winning at adult competitions and be able to get a license for the Olympics. Of course, for us the main priority is the development of our own tennis players. But they cannot develop out of nothing. They should have examples of winners as their role models, while the reputation and image of Kazakh tennis should be strengthened every year. We see that our junior teams are already in the TOP 10 in the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup. Our youth tennis is already a recognized force in Asia, our junior teams are one of the strongest teams in Asia. They are performing well at the world level, but these young guys still need to gain experience to be able to represent our country in the adult international arena and have the required ranking for it. As soon as they have the necessary ranking, they will be able to compete for our country at the Olympics.
12. What is your overall assessment of the KTF's work in preparation for the 2024 Olympics?
- The results are not what we expected. Our athletes managed to get six Olympic licenses, which are issued according to the rules of the IOC and depend on the personal ranking of each player. We had two licenses each in girls' and men's singles, plus one each in men's doubles and mixed event. Elena Rybakina's withdrawal came as a shock to us, because we pinned huge hopes on her and purposefully brought her to the Olympics. It was for this purpose that Elena played in April on clay, when she defeated the World's No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who is her main rival in the fight for a potential Olympic gold medal. But, unfortunately, illness interfered and prevented us from implementing these plans. Yulia Putintseva was in very good shape. Recall her victory over Swiatek again shortly before the Olympics. We realized that it would be difficult for Alexander Bublik because clay is the least suitable surface for his style of play. Although there were some good chances in the doubles because Alexander Nedovyessov was in good shape. But very strong Brazilians got in the way. Aleksandr Shevchenko also battled to the end, but he had a tough opponent, a clay expert from the Czech Republic. For Shevchenko this is his first Olympics, and we are sure that he will yet show his real potential.
13. What can our tennis fans hope for this year?
- The tennis program of the Olympics is over for us, we will analyze the results and take into account all the mistakes. We have important games ahead of us. The men's national team will play in Davis Cup home tie in September against Denmark, where we will try to prepare well and retain Kazakhstan's place in the World Group. We play in the playoffs, and the winner gets promoted to the qualifying rounds for next year. We will also have the coming tough tie against the Republic of Korea for our women's team in the Billie Jean King Cup. Our junior 16&U team has made it to the World Championships and will play their matches in Turkey in November. We are sure that our tennis players will definitely delight us with their victories at international events.