Rybakina Withdraws from WTA Finals, Ending Landmark Season Early
World number one Elena Rybakina has shut the door on her season a match early, withdrawing from the WTA Finals at Indian Wells on the eve of the tournament with an unspecified medical issue.
The defending champion, who has spent the year setting the pace in the women’s game, confirmed in a statement that she is “not physically ready to compete” at the season-ending showpiece, which begins Sunday in California.
“I am really sad to inform all my fans and supporters that I unfortunately have to withdraw from the WTA Finals this year,” Rybakina said. “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.”
Her withdrawal hands a late lifeline to Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, who steps into Group One and into one of the most high-profile weeks of the calendar.
A Year at the Summit, Cut Short
Rybakina’s absence rips a major storyline out of Indian Wells. She arrived at this point having finally climbed to the top of the rankings in September, reaching world No. 1 for the first time after her US Open triumph in New York, where she defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
That victory crowned a season in which Rybakina also lifted the Australian Open trophy in January, adding a second hard-court major to the Wimbledon title she claimed in 2022. Three Grand Slam titles by 26, and a year that confirmed her as the central force on tour.
The strain has been visible in recent weeks. Last month she pulled out of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo with a neck injury, just a day after securing the year-end No. 1 ranking with a win in her opening match. The milestone should have been a victory lap; instead, it became another warning sign from a body that had been pushed to its limit.
From Riyadh Perfection to Indian Wells Absence
The contrast with her last appearance at the WTA Finals could hardly be sharper. In 2025, as the last player to qualify for the elite eight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Rybakina tore through the field undefeated, turning an underdog seeding into a statement of dominance.
This year’s edition was supposed to be a different kind of coronation: the world No. 1 returning as defending champion. Instead, Indian Wells will stage the event without the player who has defined the season.
The tournament itself has already been reshaped by events far beyond the baseline. Initially awarded again to Saudi Arabia, the Finals were relocated in July to Indian Wells following US military strikes on Iran in February and the subsequent war in the region. Several other sports events in Saudi Arabia have since been cancelled or postponed after attacks on the country, leaving the WTA scrambling to secure a new host for its flagship week.
Indian Wells, long dubbed the “fifth major,” stepped in. What it cannot replace is the presence of the woman who has spent the year owning the biggest stages.
“The WTA Finals is a very special tournament and I wish everyone the best of luck this week. Can’t wait to be back in Indian Wells in March,” Rybakina added in the statement released by the WTA.
The Finals will go on without their world No. 1 and reigning champion, but the shape of the week—and perhaps the early story of next season—has already changed.
