Elena Rybakina Retires from Cincinnati Open Quarterfinal Against Iga Swiatek

MASON, Ohio — In a surprising turn during her quarterfinal match at the Cincinnati Open on Thursday night, Elena Rybakina, the No. 2-ranked player, retired after suffering an injury. Rybakina was trailing 4-1 against Iga Swiatek when she called for a medical timeout to address an issue with her left ankle, apparently sustained during the previous point.

After several minutes off the court, Rybakina returned but did not continue long, attempting a single serve before retiring from the match. This event marked a disappointing moment for Rybakina, who had previously lost to Swiatek in the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open the prior year.

Rybakina’s early exit was particularly impactful on her rankings. With the top seed Aryna Sabalenka losing to Sara Bejlek later that night, Rybakina had a potential pathway to ascend to the No. 1 spot in the world rankings had she advanced to the final.

Swiatek, the defending champion, continued her strong performance in Cincinnati, reaching at least the semifinals for the fourth consecutive year.

Special Credits: Image Courtesy of Espn