Elena Rybakina withdraws from WTA Finals as PTPA presses fatigue concerns
The world number one missed the season-ending tournament after saying she was not physically ready.
Elena Rybakina withdrew from the WTA Finals in Indian Wells, with organisers citing a viral illness, and the PTPA criticised the tennis schedule. The WTA Tour has not responded to a request for comment.
Key takeaways
- Elena Rybakina withdrew from the WTA Finals
- Organisers cited a viral illness for the Kazakh's withdrawal
- PTPA said her body had nothing left to give
- Taylor Fritz said players get little recovery time
- The WTA Tour did not immediately respond to comment
World number one Elena Rybakina withdrew from the season-ending WTA Finals in Indian Wells, United States, after saying she was not physically ready to compete, with organisers citing a viral illness for the Kazakh's withdrawal.
The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) reiterated its criticism of the tennis schedule on Monday, saying Rybakina withdrew as "her body had nothing left to give". The WTA Tour did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Why it matters
The WTA Finals is the season-ending championship of the WTA Tour. It features the top eight singles players and top eight doubles teams based on their results throughout the season. The 2026 WTA Finals is scheduled to run from November 8 to 15, 2026, in Indian Wells, United States, and will be the 55th edition of the singles event and the 50th edition of the doubles competition.
What happens next
The elite women's tour has previously said athlete welfare is a top priority and that it has listened to players' views on the calendar. The PTPA said players should not reach the biggest event of the year running on empty and continues to push for a season that leaves players healthy enough to finish it.
Broader context
Concerns over player workload are echoed on the men's ATP Tour, with American Taylor Fritz saying on Sunday that the sport's brief off-season left players with little opportunity to recover.
He said on The Running Interview Show that the tour is year-round and round-the-clock, with a one-month off-season, meaning players can only take a maximum of two weeks off before having to train again, so they essentially get no time off ever and are literally living out of a suitcase.
The ATP has said players retain choices over their schedules and that it is working to create incentives for an appropriate number of matches to be played during the season.
Related on Apex Sports News
Sources
Spotted an error? Read our corrections policy or use the flag button above. Our editorial standards explain how we report.
Discussion
Sign in or create a free account to join the discussion. Please follow our community guidelines.