Elena Rybakina withdrew from yet another tournament, continuing her unlucky season, as she pulled out of the 2024 Korea Open in Seoul.
It's been a very rough few months for the Kazakhstani player, who started the year so well, but, unfortunately, 2024 isn't getting any better for her. Rybakina was once one of the players expected to make a significant impact this year.
She was arguably the third-best player behind Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, and as such, she was expected to do really well. She started the year strongly, winning the Brisbane International in a dominant fashion.
Not only did she win, but she also thrashed Aryna Sabalenka 6-0, 6-3 in the final, which was a huge statement win and led some to believe she would challenge for the Australian Open.
However, what followed was one of the biggest disappointments at the event as she was beaten in the second round by Anna Blinkova. There’s not much to be said about that match except that the second-set tie-break ended 22-20 in favor of the Russian, marking a historic moment in a way.
Things improved later, as she won the Abu Dhabi Open, which was followed by her run to the final in Doha, even though she suffered an early exit in Dubai. She also missed Indian Wells due to some physical problems, which have been prominent this year.
Her comeback in Miami looked promising as she made the final but was beaten by Danielle Collins, who was playing career tennis at that time. Another good result followed in Stuttgart as she won the trophy and a car she can’t drive due to a lack of a license.
She played well in Madrid and at the French Open but also dealt with some physical issues. Those physical issues continued to be a problem in the weeks following, causing her to miss a couple of events.
Her Wimbledon participation went well as she made the semi-finals but lost a match many thought she could win, once again falling short in a big moment, which has been a recurring theme this year.
Since then, it’s been a very challenging period for her. She missed the Canadian Open, played badly in Cincinnati, and withdrew from the US Open due to various unspecified physical problems and illnesses that have plagued her throughout the year.
There was also turmoil off the court as she split with long-time coach Stefano Vukov. That relationship had been under scrutiny for some time due to unusual dynamics, and Vukov has reportedly been banned from the WTA Tour without any official statement yet, adding another strange development to the mix.
There have been many bizarre issues surrounding Rybakina lately and very little tennis. She won’t play at the Korea Open either, which begins on September 16th.
It’s a WTA 500 event, so it's a relatively significant tournament, but it’s clear that either she’s not ready to play yet or her physical problems are persisting. Rybakina has not provided any update on her condition.
However, fans will hope to see her back on the courts soon, though that remains a big question mark given how things have trended lately.
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