World number one Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the WTA Finals because of a viral illness, the BBC reported. The 27-year-old Kazakh made the announcement on Saturday, the eve of the tournament in Indian Wells. She was due to begin her title defence on Sunday.
Rybakina had a chance to match American great Serena Williams. Victory would have made her the first player since 2014 to win the WTA Finals in back-to-back years.
Rybakina said she was "really sad" to tell fans she had to pull out. She said she had enjoyed an incredible season, but her body was not physically ready to compete. She plans to rest and recover at home before preparing for the 2027 season.
Her 2026 season was the best of her career. She won the Australian Open and the US Open, along with titles in Stuttgart and Ningbo. She also finished runner-up at Indian Wells and Toronto.
She rose to the top of the rankings for the first time by beating Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final. That win ended the Belarusian's 99-week reign at number one. Rybakina then sealed the year-end number one spot while playing in Tokyo in October.
Rybakina has won six of her 15 career titles since last October. During that run she ended a wait of nearly four years for a second Grand Slam title. Her first came at Wimbledon in 2022.
She ends the season with 54 wins from 68 matches, including 17 of 19 at Grand Slams. She led the tour with 438 aces, 140 more than second-placed Sabalenka. She also hit 1,775 winners, more than any other player. Her 10 wins against top-10 rivals were another tour best.