Elena Rybakina withdraws from WTA Finals on the eve of the tournament, the world number one announced, citing a viral illness that has left her unable to defend the title she won undefeated in 2025.
The 27-year-old Kazakh was scheduled to begin her campaign in Indian Wells on Sunday, chasing a second consecutive crown that would have made her the first player since Serena Williams in 2014 to win the season-ending event in back-to-back years. Instead, she will spend the coming weeks resting at home as she turns her attention to the 2027 season.
A season of major breakthroughs
Rybakina’s withdrawal closes the most successful year of her career, one in which she claimed her first two Grand Slam titles outside Wimbledon. She triumphed at the Australian Open and the US Open, and added victories in Stuttgart and Ningbo to her trophy collection. She also finished as runner-up at Indian Wells and Toronto.
The US Open final proved decisive in the rankings race. By defeating Aryna Sabalenka in that match, Rybakina ended the Belarusian’s 99-week reign at the top of the women’s game. She then secured the year-end world number one ranking while competing in Tokyo in October.
Her 2026 record stands at 54 wins from 68 matches, including 17 victories in 19 Grand Slam contests. Since last October, she has won six of her 15 career titles, a run that also ended a nearly four-year wait to add to the maiden major she captured at Wimbledon in 2022.
Serve and aggression set her apart
Rybakina’s dominance has been built on the most potent serve on tour. She struck 438 aces this season, 140 more than second-placed Sabalenka, while also leading the field with 1,775 winners. Against fellow top-10 opponents she recorded 10 victories, more than any other player, underlining her ability to deliver on the biggest occasions.
Those numbers help explain why her absence from Indian Wells leaves a significant void. The WTA Finals brings together the season’s leading players, and Rybakina had been expected to headline the field as the top seed and defending champion.
Rybakina's message to supporters
In a statement announcing her decision, Rybakina expressed her disappointment at being unable to compete. She described her season as incredible but explained that her body was not physically ready for the demands of the tournament. She said she would use the time to rest and recover at home before preparing for 2027.
The withdrawal means Rybakina will not have the chance to emulate Williams, whose back-to-back WTA Finals victories in 2013 and 2014 remain the most recent successful title defence at the event. It also ends her season without a final opportunity to add to a résumé that has already established her as the leading player in women’s tennis.
For now, the focus shifts to her recovery. Rybakina’s year-end ranking is secure, and her results across 2026 have set a benchmark that the rest of the tour will spend the off-season trying to match.
