World No. 1 Elena Rybakina Withdraws From WTA Finals With Viral Illness

Rybakina withdraws from season-ending event

World No. 1 Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the 2026 WTA Finals at Indian Wells, citing a viral illness. The defending champion pulled out on Saturday, saying she was not physically ready to compete.

Rybakina said in a statement: "I am really sad to inform all my fans and supporters that I unfortunately have to withdraw from the WTA Finals this year. I’ve had an incredible season but my body is just not physically ready to compete. I’m going to spend some time resting and recovering at home and getting myself ready for the 2027 season."

A WTA spokesman later confirmed that the official reason for Rybakina’s withdrawal "is a viral illness."

Kostyuk takes Rybakina’s place

Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk will take Rybakina’s place in Group One at the tournament. Kostyuk will face Linda Noskova in the tournament’s opening match on Sunday, in addition to Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula in subsequent round robin matches.

Season record and recent setbacks

Rybakina finishes her 2026 season on the WTA Tour with a 54-14 record and four titles: Australian Open, Stuttgart, US Open and Ningbo. She earned the WTA year-end No. 1 singles ranking while in Tokyo.

Rybakina rose to the top of the world rankings for the first time in September with a victory at the US Open in New York, where she defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the final. She now has three Grand Slam titles, her first coming at Wimbledon in 2022.

Last month, Rybakina withdrew from the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo with a neck injury, a day after she secured the year-end world number one ranking with a win in her opening match.

Tournament details

The WTA Finals are being held at Indian Wells in California this year. The event was originally scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia, but in July were moved to Indian Wells, California. The decision was taken following US military strikes on Iran in February and the subsequent war in the region.

Tournament director Garbine Muguruza, a former world No. 1 and two-time major winner, told Reuters: "We love Elena and we know that she was feeling so-so in Tokyo as well. I spoke to her today and she really couldn't recover on time. What we want is for her to feel good, to go rest, to recover."

Why it matters

Rybakina’s withdrawal removes the defending champion from the season-ending event and gives world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka the chance to close the gap at the top of the rankings. Rybakina will no longer have the chance to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to win the Finals in two consecutive years.

Sources

• sports.yahoo.com: World No 1 Elena Rybakina withdraws in blow to WTA Finals - Yahoo Sports
• wtatennis.com: Elena Rybakina withdraws from 2026 WTA Finals at Indian Wells with viral illness
• aljazeera.com: Tennis world number one Rybakina withdraws from WTA Finals due to virus | Tennis | Al Jazeera
• turkiyetoday.com: World number one Rybakina withdraws from WTA Finals with viral illness - Türkiye Today
• sports.inquirer.net: Elena Rybakina withdraws from WTA Finals due to virus

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.