- Racquet brandYonex
- ModelVCORE line (specialist sources describe a VCORE SV 100 mould in current paintwork)
- StringsYonex Poly Tour Fire
- Tensionaround 25 kg (≈56 lb)
- Apparel and shoesYonex (since 2023; previously adidas)
- Other sponsorsRed Bull
Why the retail racquet is not quite her racquet
Like almost every player at the top of the game, Rybakina does not use an off-the-shelf model but a custom frame painted in the current commercial livery. Specialist outlets report that beneath the modern VCORE paint sits an older mould - the VCORE SV 100 from around 2018. This is standard practice: a player gets used to a specific hoop geometry and balance, while the brand refreshes the cosmetics every year.
The practical takeaway for anyone wanting to “play like Rybakina”: buying a current Yonex VCORE will give you a similar stiffness and feel, but it is not an exact copy of her setup.
How the setup serves her game
- A 100 sq in head. A compromise between control and forgiveness: enough sweet spot for a flat forehand to survive off-centre contact.
- Poly Tour Fire polyester. A stiff string that delivers control and spin at high racquet-head speed. For a club player with a slower swing the same string would feel dead - it only comes alive at professional speeds.
- Around 25 kg of tension. Above the tour average, which reduces rebound off the stringbed and adds control on the flat drives that define her game.
Advice for club players. Copying professional string tension is the most common mistake. With a slower swing, high tension kills both power and control and increases the load on the elbow. Start at 22–23 kg and adjust from there.
The apparel switch
From early 2020 Rybakina competed in adidas. The contract was not renewed in 2023, and she appeared at Roland Garros in Yonex kit - a talking point at the time, since few players commit to a fully Japanese setup. Today Yonex supplies racquets, strings, apparel and shoes, with Red Bull among her other partners.
How professionals choose a racquet
Frame selection at tour level almost never starts from scratch. A player finds a mould that suits her in her junior years and stays with it for a decade or more. Brands accommodate this: beneath the commercial paintwork of a current line there is often an older, discontinued mould produced specifically for contracted players.
Customisation follows. Lead tape is added at specific points on the hoop to alter balance and swing weight, the handle is shaped to the player's hand and the total weight is set to the gram. Two racquets of the same model used by two tour players can differ more from each other than two different retail models do.
Strings matter more than the frame
Professionals restring before every match and, in heat, several times within one - polyester loses tension within about an hour of play. Major tournaments run dedicated stringing rooms handling hundreds of racquets a day.
Polyester strings such as Poly Tour Fire deliver control and spin but require a fast swing: they only come alive at high racquet-head speed. For a club player with average technique the same string feels like a dead board and adds load on the elbow - hence the warning above about copying professional setups.
Frequently asked questions
What racquet does Elena Rybakina use?
A Yonex racquet from the VCORE line. Specialist sources describe a VCORE SV 100 mould beneath the current paintwork.
What strings does Rybakina use?
Yonex Poly Tour Fire at around 25 kg, which is above the tour average.
What clothing brand does Rybakina wear?
Yonex, since 2023. Before that she was sponsored by adidas.
Can I buy the same racquet?
You can buy a retail Yonex VCORE 100, which feels close - but it is not an exact copy of her custom frame.