World number one Rybakina withdraws from WTA Finals

World number one Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the WTA Finals because of a viral illness, ending her bid to defend the title she won in 2025. The withdrawal comes after the most successful season of her career, in which she claimed two Grand Slam titles and secured the year-end top ranking.

The 27-year-old Kazakh said her body was not ready to compete and that she would rest and recover at home ahead of the 2027 season. She won the Australian Open, US Open, Stuttgart and Ningbo this year, finished runner-up at Indian Wells and Toronto, and won 54 of 68 matches. Her season included 438 aces, 1,775 winners and 10 victories over top-10 opponents.