Elena Rybakina Withdraws from Cincinnati Open Due to Injury
Injury Forces Rybakina to Retire
File image of Elena Rybakina(Photo: @ivabianconero/X)
Cincinnati, Aug 21: Elena Rybakina's ambition to overtake Aryna Sabalenka in the WTA Rankings came to an abrupt halt when she had to retire from her quarterfinal match against Iga Swiatek at the Cincinnati Open due to a left ankle injury.
Swiatek was ahead 4-1 when Rybakina faced a critical moment while serving at 40-15. After failing to complete a rally at the net, she struggled with a tough passing shot from Swiatek, leading to a missed half volley and her immediate distress.
Rybakina found it difficult to serve effectively on the next point, which concluded quickly. Following a medical assessment during the match, she decided to withdraw shortly after, as reported by the WTA.
Post-match, Rybakina expressed her discomfort, stating that even walking was painful. She mentioned her hope to gain clarity on her condition in the upcoming days. "I don’t feel great right now; I couldn’t even push off my serve," she remarked. "It’s painful to walk, and I’ll have an MRI tomorrow to find out more."
She added, "This issue has been persistent for a while. It was manageable, but after playing several matches in Canada and two consecutive matches here, it felt okay before the match. Unfortunately, one wrong move led to this injury."
With Sabalenka's earlier loss to Sara Bejlek in the fourth round, Rybakina needed to reach the Cincinnati final to claim the World No. 1 ranking. Instead, Sabalenka will maintain her top position heading into the US Open next week, while Swiatek, the Toronto champion, prepares to face Jessica Pegula in the semifinals.
Swiatek expressed her concern for Rybakina, stating, "I hope Elena will recover. The next tournament is crucial. While this one is important, the US Open is the main event. I hope she’ll be ready. She was so close to becoming No. 1. It’s unfortunate; we were having a good match. Health comes first, and I wish her a speedy recovery."
Swiatek aims to become the second woman since 2004 to defend her Cincinnati title, following Serena Williams in 2014-15. She heads into her semifinal against Pegula with a 7-5 record against her, although Pegula has won four of their hard-court encounters.