Elena Rybakina was playing Victoria Azarenka in the quarter-final of the 2024 Berlin Open, but she had to retire after only four games of play.
The Kazakhstani player was favored to beat Azarenka in the Berlin Open quarter-final because she had never lost to her before. They played four times and every time, Rybakina won, including twice this year.
Azarenka got her first win, even though it didn't come the way she wanted it to. It came after Rybakina retired from the match, which isn't a good sign for her so close to Wimbledon, which she won two years ago.
In the opening set, Azarenka led 3-1, as her third-seeded opponent greatly struggled with her level. She didn't serve well; her shots were all over the place, and she looked really unwell.
She was really unwell because, down 1-3 and 15-15 in the game, Rybakina took a medical timeout. After a while, the Belarusian player and fans attending the WTA 500 tournament in the German capital were notified that Rybakina had to retire from the match because of illness.
Unfortunately, it's not that uncommon for her, as she has had similar situations before and dealt with a number of illnesses in the past, but also this season. There were rumors of her dealing with an illness this week in Berlin as well, and it's a worrying sign not only for this season, but also for her career.
Wimbledon is not too far away, starting in 10 days, and she's prone to these setbacks. On the other hand, Azarenka got her first 'win' over Rybakina and moved on to the semi-final at the 2024 Berlin Open, where she will likely play against compatriot Aryna Sabalenka, who will take on Anna Kalinskaya, who, too, got into the quarter-final via a retirement.
Rybakina will try to recover in time for the Wimbledon Championships, where she won her first and only major.
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