Elina Svitolina ends her 2025 season after withdrawing from China Open

Tuesday, 23 September 2025 at 15:15

byErik Virostko

Elina Svitolina was supposed to compete at the 2025 China Open, but she won't, as she ended her season early.

Svitolina has been one of the better performers on the WTA Tour in 2025. She is currently the 13th highest-ranked player, which is why she was among the seeded players at the WTA 1000 event in Beijing. She was supposed to start against Tatjana Maria and Marie Bouzkova in the second round.

However, the Ukrainian player withdrew from the 2025 China Open. She was replaced by Magda Linette, who became the 33rd seed and inherited Svitolina's first-round bye. Linette will now play against Maria and Bouzkova.

The reason for Svitolina's withdrawal was a hip injury, and it seems that the injury is serious enough to end the 31-year-old's 2025 season early. She announced that through a post on her Instagram profile.

"I haven’t been feeling like myself lately. I’m not in the right emotional space, and I don’t feel ready to play, so I am therefore ending the season here."

Svitolina also shared her thoughts behind the decision with her fans. She explained that she, as a tennis player, always wants to give it her best, and since she wouldn't be able to, she doesn't want to continue playing this year, at least not when she's not at her best.

"Over the years, I’ve learned that this sport isn’t about money, fame, or rankings—it’s about being ready to fight and to give your all. Right now, I’m simply not at the level mentally or emotionally to do that."

"Not every day has to be productive, strong, or full of energy. Some days are heavy—and that doesn’t make me weak. It just means I’m human and need time to rest, to feel, to breathe and to just be. So I’m giving myself the space I need to heal and recharge, instead of forcing it, and when I step back on the court, I want to fight with everything I’ve got and put my best self on the court for the fans, for the game, and for myself."

What's next for Elina Svitolina after ending the 2025 season early?

As one of the best performers in 2025, Svitolina is in the privileged position to end her season early as she did. Although she was in a great position to challenge for more ranking points and possibly return to the Top 10, she won't lose much due to her decision either.

She is currently 12th in the 2025 WTA Race, which means she will almost surely end the season in the Top 20 of the WTA Rankings. That will give her a solid seeding spot for the 2026 Australian Open and, overall, a great position to start the new season.

On top of that, she will enjoy a few more weeks of rest than some of her competitors, which can only help her at the start of the new season. With an incredibly busy calendar, more and more players are starting to make this decision.