Elena Rybakina turned down 15 colleges, defied her dad. Now she's No. 1

Elena Rybakina is the No. 1 female tennis player in the world, and she got there by saying no to 15 American college offers, ignoring her father's advice, and switching citizenship from Russia to Kazakhstan. The 27-year-old U.S. Open champion's path is a masterclass in betting on yourself when the safe option is staring you in the face. Ten years ago, Rybakina was a Moscow-born teenager at a crossroads: take a scholarship to a U.S. university, or keep chasing a pro career that had not yet paid off. Her dad, worried about the family's finances and the risk of injury, pushed hard for college. "My dad wanted me to go to college because he was worried," she told the WTA in 2020. "He saw the results, but it was difficult for us financially. It's not easy. Like every parent, he was worried if I got injured." She had 15 offers, but never seriously considered them. "I didn't even think about it because I wanted to keep playing," she said. "My dad really wanted me to go." She chose the uncertainty of professional tennis over the security of a degree, and that decision now looks like one of the best career calls in modern sports.