The US Open has been full of surprises this year, with new stars rising, shocking upsets, and heartbreaking injuries. Just when fans and experts thought they’d seen it all, Elena Rybakina dropped a bombshell that no one saw coming. In a tournament already packed with drama, Rybakina’s announcement has sent shockwaves through the tennis community, proving once again that the US Open never fails to deliver the unexpected.

The Kazhak tennis player has decided to withdraw from the US Open right before her second-round match. The information about her withdrawal was shared by tennis commentator and journalist Jose Morgado, who took to his X and wrote, “Oh my god. Elena Rybakina withdraws from the #USOpen before her 2nd round match.” Remember, the 25-year-old was scheduled to face Jessika Ponchet on Thursday. The star player later opened up about her decision and cited injuries as a reason for her withdrawal. 

In a statement, Rybakina said, “Unfortunately, I have to withdraw from my match today due to my injuries.” While a detailed update about her injury has not been shared yet, the star player has witnessed some serious health crises this year that have forced her out of tournaments. She faced gastrointestinal problems in numerous tournaments, like the Berlin Open, Italian Open, and Dubai Tennis Championship among others. The latest woes, meanwhile, would be marking an unfortunate end to her final Grand Slam of the year.

Addressing the same fact, Rybakina further said, “I did not want to finish the last Grand Slam of the year this way but I have to listen to my body, and I hope I can close out the remainder of the year strong.” Continuing further, she thanked her fans for their support. “Thank you to all the fans who have and continue to support me, and I wish the remaining players good luck.” The decision would have been indeed difficult for the star player. 

Rybakina has demonstrated some great skills, especially in the last two Grand Slams that she participated in. While she reached the quarterfinals at the French Open, she upskilled her game and advanced to the semi-finals at Wimbledon. In such a sensational form as this, the decision to withdraw from an important event like the US Open would have indeed heart-wrenching. But besides her injuries, there are several other challenges that Rybakina has faced this year.

When Elena Rybakina revealed immense challenges on tour

Elena Rybakina started her US campaign with a sensational win over Destanee Aiava in straight sets, 6-1, 7-6(1). But her decision to withdraw has shed light on the challenges that the star player has faced throughout the year. 

In an interview at Roland Garros this year, Rybakina highlighted the factors that forced her to withdraw from the season. “Yes. I mean, I’ve been struggling a bit with sleep, and some issues. So, of course, I had to skip tournaments. Also, allergies and everything,” she said. The Kazhak star also had a tough time at the Miami Open this year, when she called out the scheduling challenges. 

“I definitely didn’t feel 100 percent…The first games I played were late at night, at the end of the day, and I went to sleep around 2 or 3 in the morning. Then I had a few meetings during the day, so the program varied too much. It doesn’t help for recovery. There were some very difficult challenges…”

As the season progresses, only time will tell if Rybakina can overcome the challenges and play her dominant game at other tournaments of the year.