Elena Rybakina, the fourth seed and reigning Wimbledon champion, has unfortunately withdrawn from the US Open. She was set to face Jessika Ponchet in the second round on Thursday. Rybakina’s decision to pull out stems from an injury, forcing her to prioritize her health and recovery.
In a statement, Rybakina expressed her disappointment, stating, “I did not want to finish the last Grand Slam of the year this way but I have to listen to my body, and I hope I can close out the remainder of the year strong.” She also thanked her fans for their support.
Rybakina’s withdrawal comes at a time when she’s been facing challenges. She recently withdrew from both the singles and mixed doubles events at the Paris Olympics, suffered an early exit in a US Open warm-up event, and announced a separation from her long-time coach.
With Rybakina out, Jessika Ponchet, who’s making her US Open main draw debut, will advance to the third round. She’ll face the winner of the match between former Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki and Renata Zarazua of Mexico.
