RismadarVoice Reporters
November 8, 2026
World number one and defending champion Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the 2026 Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Finals in Indian Wells, California, after suffering a viral illness.
Tournament organisers confirmed the Kazakhstani star’s withdrawal on Saturday, November 7, a day before the season-ending competition was scheduled to begin.
Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, who was already at the venue as an alternate, will replace Rybakina in the eight-player tournament.
The WTA confirmed that Kostyuk would compete in Group 1, beginning with an opening match against Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova on Sunday.
She will also face American players Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula during the round-robin stage.
Rybakina, 27, said she was disappointed to miss the tournament but acknowledged that she was not physically ready to compete following a demanding season.
The three-time Grand Slam champion explained that she would return home to rest and recover before preparing for the 2027 tennis season.
Tournament director and former world number one Garbiñe Muguruza said she had spoken with Rybakina and understood that the player needed additional recovery time.
Muguruza disclosed that the defending champion had experienced physical difficulties towards the end of the season, including problems during the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.
Rybakina withdrew from the Tokyo quarter-finals in October because of a neck injury.
Despite the latest setback, the Kazakhstani enjoyed a successful 2026 campaign, winning the Australian Open, Stuttgart Open, US Open and Ningbo Open.
She finished her season with 54 victories against 14 defeats and secured the year-end world number one ranking.
Her withdrawal gives Kostyuk an opportunity to make her WTA Finals debut following a breakthrough season that included victory at the Madrid Open and a place among the world’s top 10 players.
Muguruza praised the Ukrainian’s progress and expressed confidence that the tournament would remain competitive despite losing its top seed.
The competition was relocated from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to Indian Wells because of security concerns linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
According to Muguruza, player safety was a major consideration in the decision to move the event.
She added that players had responded positively to the California venue, with strong ticket sales recorded ahead of the competition.
The WTA Finals will run from November 8 to 15, bringing together leading players competing for the season-ending championship.
