World Number One Rybakina Withdraws from WTA Finals

World number one Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the 2026 WTA Finals in Indian Wells, California, citing health concerns, a day before the season-ending tournament begins.

The defending champion announced her withdrawal on Saturday, saying she was not physically ready to compete after an eventful season.

“I am really sad to inform all my fans and supporters that I unfortunately have to withdraw from the WTA Finals this year,” the Kazakh said in a statement.

She added that she would spend time resting and recovering at home before preparing for the 2027 season.

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) subsequently confirmed that the official reason for her withdrawal was a viral illness.

Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk has taken Rybakina's place in the eight-player competition and will face Linda Noskova in Sunday's opening match in Group One. She is also scheduled to meet American players Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula in the round-robin stage.

Rybakina secured the year-end world number one ranking after winning the US Open in September, where she defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the final.

She also won the Australian Open in January, taking her Grand Slam title tally to three, following her Wimbledon triumph in 2022.

The 27-year-old finished her 2026 WTA Tour campaign with a 54-14 win-loss record and four titles, including victories at the Australian Open, Stuttgart, US Open and Ningbo tournaments.

Her withdrawal comes after she also pulled out of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo last month because of a neck injury.

Rybakina had been seeking to defend the WTA Finals title she won unbeaten in 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The 2026 edition, originally scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia, was moved to Indian Wells, with the tournament running from November 8 to 15.