Elena Rybakina shared that insomnia issues ravaged her immune system and she absolutely needed a break that she took in late 2024.
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After abruptly withdrawing from her US Open second-round match, the Kazakh tennis star returned home and she didn't play again until the WTA Finals.
Before the two-month pause, the 2022 Wimbledon champion battled injuries, illnesses and allergies throughout the entire year.
Now, in her pre-tournament press conference at the Australian Open, Rybakina revealed that it all started after she concluded her run at Melbourne Park 12 months ago.
"For me the whole year was pretty difficult. Coming back from Melbourne, like the issues with sleep started. It's been going on for a long time. So of course it was not easy," the 25-year-old said.
Rybakina: When my insomnia started, the whole immune system went down
In the beginning, the former world No. 6 was only experiencing sleep issues. But soon, the lack of sleep negatively impacted her health.
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Reflecting on it now, the Kazakh thinks she should have taken a break earlier than September.
"Well, as I said, when my insomnia started, the whole immune system went down. I kept on pushing. Maybe I should have take the rest a little bit earlier," Rybakina explained.
"For five or six years I'm on tour, I'm playing non-stop. Even in offseason we have maybe one or two weeks. I was struggling during Wimbledon. After that I had only four days and I got sick again."
At the start of 2025, the former world No. 6 led Kazakhstan to the United Cup semifinal, where she went 3-1 in singles.
But most importantly, she didn't experience any injuries or health setbacks.
Now, Rybakina is set for the Australian Open, where she meets 16-year-old Australian wildcard Emerson Jones in the first round.
