Elena Rybakina’s first Billie Jean King Cup tie as world No. 1 will have to wait after the US Open champion withdrew from Kazakhstan’s quarterfinal against Spain in Shenzhen.
Rybakina said her body needs time to recover following a demanding stretch that ended with her third Grand Slam title in New York. In a social-media message, she said she was disappointed to miss the Shenzhen finals week, praised the venue and its supporters, and wished Kazakhstan’s players well: “Alga Kazakhstan.”
The Kazakh suffered a left-ankle injury during her Cincinnati quarterfinal on August 20, forcing her to retire from that match. She was unable to play in the following week and initially found walking painful, putting her US Open participation in doubt.
Instead, Rybakina returned 12 days later and produced a seven-match title run at Flushing Meadows, a campaign that also lifted her to the top of the WTA rankings. Her closing three matches all went the distance. She fought back against Zheng Qinwen and Coco Gauff in successive three-set victories before defeating Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the final, repeating the matchup from their Australian Open championship match earlier in the season.
The US Open triumph also secured Rybakina’s place at the season-ending WTA Finals. Her next scheduled events are the consecutive WTA 1000 tournaments in Beijing and Wuhan, which begin late this month.
Kazakhstan will face Spain without its leading player. Yulia Putintseva, Sonja Zhiyenbayeva, Zhibek Kulambayeva and Anna Danilina have been selected for the Kazakh team, while Spain will bring Cristina Bucsa, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Kaitlin Quevedo, Marina Bassols Ribera and Sara Sorribes Tormo.
The Billie Jean King Cup quarterfinals open in Shenzhen on September 22. Italy, the reigning champion and a side led by Jasmine Paolini and Elisabetta Cocciaretto, meets host nation China. Ukraine plays Belgium, while Czechia takes on Great Britain in the remaining last-eight tie.
