Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina has announced her withdrawal from the Beijing and Wuhan tournaments due to a back issue, with hopes of returning before the WTA Tour’s season-ending event in Riyadh this November. The world number four had a stellar start to 2024, clinching titles in Brisbane, Abu Dhabi, and Stuttgart, but subsequently missed several events because of illness and injury.
After reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals, she withdrew from the Paris Olympics due to bronchitis and pulled out of the U.S. Open in August following an opening match win, citing a lower back injury. “Due to an ongoing back injury, I regretfully have to withdraw from the upcoming Asian tournaments,” Rybakina stated. “While I’ve been working hard on my recovery, my medical team and I have decided it’s best to prioritise my health at this time.”
The 25-year-old, who parted ways with her long-time coach Stefano Vukov just days before the U.S. Open, is currently third in the race to the WTA Finals scheduled for November 2-9.
“This year has been tough, and I appreciate the support from the tournament organisers and all my fans,” the Kazakh player stated. “My team and I will strive to get me back on the court before the season’s end.”
