Elena Rybakina has made her first public comments since a stunning end to her US Open but it is only to announce that she will be skipping the WTA 1000 tournaments in Beijing and Wuhan due to a back injury.
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After parting ways with her coach Stefano Vukov after arriving in New York, the world No. 4 beat Destanee Aiava in two sets in her first-round match but then some stunning rumors started dropping about Vukov and that he was apparently banned from the WTA coaches list. Shortly after, the 25-year-old pulled out of her second-round match at Flushing Meadows because of "injuries."
Then, Rybakina also decided to skip last week's WTA 500 tournament in Seoul without making any announcements. However, the WTA later revealed that a back issue was listed as the cause.
Rybakina confirms she will miss Beijing, Wuhan
Due to an ongoing back injury, I regretfully have to withdraw from the upcoming Asian tournaments. While Ive been working hard on my recovery, my medical team and I have decided its best to prioritize my health at this time. This has been a challenging year and I am grateful for the support from the tournament organizers and all of my fans. My team and I will work on getting me back on the court before the season finale," the Kazakh said in a statement.
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Truth be told, Rybakina has battled various injuries and illnesses throughout this year and she specifically dealt with a back issue last year. However, some have certain doubts regarding her latest withdrawals considering everything that has happened in the last few weeks.
Since the 2022 Wimbledon champion is currently third in the Race to the WTA Finals list, it is probably just a matter of time before she officially earns a spot there although she won't play the next two WTA 1000 tournaments.
But the question remains how serious is this injury and when Rybakina intends to play again.
