Beijing: Due to a back ailment, World No. 4 Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the autumn Asian swing. Rybakina was scheduled to compete in back-to-back WTA 1000s in Beijing and Wuhan as part of the Hologic WTA Tour to wrap off her regular season.
Rybakina remains hopeful that she will be ready to compete at the season-ending WTA Finals Riyadh if she qualifies. She currently sits at No.3 on the PIF Race to the WTA Finals, which begins on Nov. 2.
“Due to an ongoing back injury, I regretfully have to withdraw from the upcoming Asian tournaments,” Rybakina said in a statement. “While I’ve been working hard on my recovery, my medical team and I have decided it’s best to prioritize my health at this time.
“This has been a challenging year and I am grateful for the support from the tournament organizers and all of my fans. My team and I will work on getting me back on the court before the season finale.”
The 25-year-old Rybakina won three WTA 500 championships in the season’s first four months. She won the Brisbane International to start the year, defeating world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the process. She also won the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open and the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, where she defeated World No. 1 and reigning champion Iga Swiatek. After Stuttgart, Rybakina advanced to the semifinals of the Mutua Madrid Open.
