Elena Rybakina’s defence of the WTA Finals title ended before a ball was struck on Saturday, when the world number one withdrew from the season-ending event at Indian Wells because of a viral illness. Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, the first alternate, takes her place in Group 1 and steps straight into Sunday’s opening match against Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova.
The 27-year-old Kazakh had been scheduled to face Noskova herself. There were signs of trouble on Friday, when her pre-tournament press conference was pushed back a day because she was unwell. Instead of speaking to reporters, she confirmed she would be going home.
“I am really sad to inform all my fans and supporters that I unfortunately have to withdraw from the WTA Finals this year,” Rybakina said. “I’ve had an incredible season but my body is just not physically ready to compete.”
She added: “I’m going to spend some time resting and recovering at home and getting myself ready for the 2027 season.”
A WTA spokesman confirmed that the official reason for the withdrawal was a viral illness. It was Rybakina’s second abrupt exit in little more than a week, after she pulled out of her Pan Pacific Open quarter-final in Tokyo on 30 October with a neck injury.
A season that changed the top of the women’s game
The withdrawal removes the outstanding player of the 2026 season from its final tournament. Rybakina won four titles this year, at the Australian Open, the US Open, Stuttgart and Ningbo, and finished runner-up at Indian Wells and Toronto. She compiled a 54-14 record, went 17-2 at the Grand Slams and beat 10 top-10 opponents.
Her serve was the defining weapon of the tour. She hit 438 aces, 140 more than Aryna Sabalenka, and the two majors took her Grand Slam total to three, four years after her breakthrough at Wimbledon in 2022.
Victory over Sabalenka in the US Open final in September lifted Rybakina to number one for the first time and ended the Belarusian’s 99-week run at the summit. She clinched the year-end top ranking in Tokyo last month, so her absence from California does not change who finishes 2026 at the top.
It does deny her the chance to repeat one of the most striking runs of her career. Rybakina arrived in Riyadh 12 months ago as the last qualifier and left as champion, having won all five of her matches.
She is not the first world number one to miss the event. Serena Williams skipped the 2015 edition in Singapore, and Ashleigh Barty did not travel to Guadalajara in 2021 despite being the reigning champion. Few have dropped out so late, however, with the draw made and the opening match only a day away.
Kostyuk handed an unexpected opportunity
The beneficiary is a player who was already on site as the first alternate and now makes her WTA Finals debut. Kostyuk won her biggest title in Madrid this year, beating Mirra Andreeva 6-3 7-5 in the final, and she will play all three of Rybakina’s round-robin matches.
Her group is a demanding one. After Noskova, she faces Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, who meet each other on the opening day. Noskova is reported to lead the head-to-head with Kostyuk 2-1, and won their only hard-court meeting, a three-set US Open fourth-round match, 7-5 5-7 6-4.
The change also reshapes Group 1 for those already in it. Rybakina was the group’s top seed and its most dangerous opponent on a hard court. Noskova, Gauff and Pegula now have a clearer route to the two semi-final places on offer, although Kostyuk arrives with little to lose and no pressure of expectation.
A troubled week for the WTA’s showpiece
For the tour, this is an unwelcome start to an event that has already been disrupted. The Finals were moved from Saudi Arabia to Indian Wells in July, after the regional conflict that followed US strikes on Iran in February. The tournament moves again next year, to Charlotte.
The build-up has also been overshadowed by the release of practice-court audio on the WTA’s own stream, in which Pegula was heard describing Andreeva as a “diva”. The WTA accepted full responsibility and chair Valerie Camillo apologised publicly on Friday, calling the episode “regrettable and unacceptable”.
Attention now turns to Group 2, where Sabalenka, the highest-ranked player left in the field, is joined by Andreeva, Elina Svitolina and Karolina Muchova. Sabalenka has a clear chance to end the year with the title that Rybakina can no longer defend.
Rybakina’s focus has already moved to 2027. Her parting message offered one date for the diary: “Can’t wait to be back in Indian Wells in March.”
Sports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
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