Elena Rybakina WTA Finals withdrawal, Digi Mart USA News (Indian Wells, Calif.): World No. 1 Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the 2026 FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells, citing a medical issue.
Marta Kostyuk will assume Rybakina’s spot in Group 1. She will face Linda Noskova in the tournament’s opening match on Sunday, followed by round robin matches against Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula.
In a statement, Rybakina said she was sad to inform her fans and supporters that she had to withdraw from the WTA Finals this year. “I’ve had an incredible season but my body is just not physically ready to compete,” she said.
Rybakina said she would spend time resting and recovering at home to prepare for the 2027 season. She also said she looks forward to returning to Indian Wells in March.
Rybakina entered the year-end event as the defending champion, having gone undefeated at the 2025 edition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as the last qualifier. This season, she was the first singles qualifier after winning her third Grand Slam title at the US Open, where she also took the No. 1 ranking.
Rybakina finished her 2026 season on the WTA Tour with a 54-14 record and four titles, at the Australian Open, Stuttgart, the US Open and Ningbo. Despite the withdrawal, she earned the WTA year-end No. 1 singles ranking, presented by PIF, while in Tokyo.
