Elena Rybakina’s US Open title run has come at a cost as she has been ruled out of action for a fortnight due to an Achilles injury, forcing her to miss the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
The Kazakh star enjoyed a brilliant two weeks at the season-ending Grand Slam as she not only won her third major, but also overtook Aryna Sabalenka in the WTA Rankings to become the 30th world No 1 and the first from Kazakhstan to top the rankings.
But she needed painkillers to get through the tournament as she struggled with an Achilles tendon injury that she sustained at the Cincinnati Open in mid-August.
Rybakina was forced to retire from her quarter-final match against Iga Swiatek and later revealed “it’s painful to walk”, which threw her US Open participation into doubt.
She just about recovered in time for the New York event and went all the way, but she has now been forced to take an extended break after the Grand Slam, resulting in her withdrawal from this week’s Billie Jean King Cup event.
Elena Rybakina News
Kazakhstan will have to do without their No 1 player when they take on fourth-seeded Spain in Shenzhen, China, with the country’s tennis federation confirming she will undergo further tests.
A statement issued last week said: “Her Achilles tendon continued to trouble her during the 2026 US Open, forcing her to take painkillers. Despite the injury, she managed to win the title.
“According to Rybakina’s coaching staff, she needs at least two weeks for treatment and recovery.”
The World No 1’s Schedule…
If all goes according to plan, Rybakina is unlikely to miss any WTA Tour events as she is only due to return to action at the China Open with the WTA 1000 event starting on 28 September.
But she could be set for a busy period as the Wuhan Open follows immediately, starting on 12 October, while last year she also competed at the Ningbo Open (19 October) and Pan Pacific Open (26 October) before bringing an end to her season at the WTA Finals.
Given her current struggles, it is unlikely the three-time Grand Slam winner will play in all of those tournaments with the WTA Finals her biggest priority, however, she is in a difficult position in the rankings as she has 2,410 points to defend until the end of the year.
