Elena Rybakina has made her first public statements since the shocking end of her US Open, announcing only that she will skip the WTA 1000 tournaments in Beijing and Wuhan due to a back injury.
After parting ways with her coach Stefano Vukov upon arrival in New York, the world No. 4 defeated Destanee Aiava in straight sets in her first-round match, but then some stunning rumors began circulating about Vukov and that he had apparently been dropped from the WTA coaches list. Shortly after, the 25-year-old withdrew from her second-round match in Flushing Meadows due to “injuries.”
Rybakina also decided to skip last week’s WTA 500 tournament in Seoul without making any announcements, although the WTA later revealed that a back problem was cited as the cause.
“Due to a persistent back injury, I am unfortunately forced to withdraw from the upcoming Asian tournaments. Although I have been working hard on my recovery, my medical team and I have decided that it is best to prioritize my health at this time. This has been a challenging year and I am grateful for the support of the tournament organizers and all my fans. My team and I will work to get me back on the court for the season finale,” the Kazakh said in a statement.
To be fair, Rybakina has been battling various injuries and illnesses this year, and last year she specifically struggled with a back problem. However, some have certain doubts about her recent withdrawals, given everything that has happened in the past few weeks.
Given that the 2022 Wimbledon champion is currently third on the Race to the WTA Finals list, it’s likely only a matter of time before she officially earns a spot on that list. However, she will not be competing in the next two WTA 1000 tournaments.
The question is, however, how serious the injury is and when Rybakina thinks he will be able to play again.
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