World No. 1 Kazakh player Elena Rybakina announced on Saturday her withdrawal from the 2026 WTA Finals, scheduled in the American city of Indian Wells, due to her physical unfitness for competition. It was decided that Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk will replace her in the tournament, which starts next Sunday.
Reasons for Withdrawal and Compensation
The WTA stated in a press release that Rybakina decided to withdraw for medical reasons. It added that Kostyuk will participate in her place in the first group, facing Czech player Linda Noskova in the opening match of the tournament, before meeting Americans Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula in her subsequent group stage matches.
Reactions and Recovery
For her part, Rybakina expressed regret at not participating in the season-ending championship, stating in a press release: "I am truly sorry to inform all my fans and supporters that I am forced to withdraw from this year's WTA Finals." She added: "It has been a wonderful season for me, but my body is not physically ready to compete. I will spend some time resting and recovering at home, in preparation for the 2027 season."
Season Achievements
Rybakina's withdrawal comes after a season in which she crowned herself champion of the Australian Open at the beginning of the year, before adding the US Open title in September last year, securing her third Grand Slam title and her second in 2026. She also won the titles in Stuttgart, Germany, and Ningbo, China, raising her total to four titles during the season, which she concluded by guaranteeing the world No. 1 ranking for the first time in her career.
Source: Anadolu Agency
Comments (0)