A Season to Remember, an Ending to Forget
Elena Rybakina's extraordinary 2026 campaign will not get the closing chapter her performances deserved. The world number one has pulled out of the WTA Finals in Riyadh after falling ill with a viral infection on the eve of the tournament. In a statement to fans, the 27-year-old Kazakh said her body was simply not ready to compete, adding that she plans to rest at home before turning her focus toward the 2027 season.
The timing is particularly cruel. Rybakina arrived as the defending champion, having gone unbeaten through last year's field to claim the title for the first time. She had a genuine shot at history here: a second consecutive WTA Finals crown would have made her the first player since 2014 to achieve that feat, joining Serena Williams in rare company.
A Historic 2026 That Speaks for Itself
Even without this week's tournament, Rybakina's 2026 résumé is remarkable. She captured the Australian Open and the US Open, also adding titles in Stuttgart and Ningbo, and clinched the year-end world number one ranking while competing in Tokyo in October. That top ranking came after she defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final, ending the Belarusian's 99-week grip on the position.
Across the full season she won 54 of 68 matches, going 17 and 2 in Grand Slam play alone. Her serve was the tour's most potent weapon: 438 aces, a full 140 more than the next-best player. She also led all players with 1,775 winners and posted an unmatched 10 victories against top-10 opponents.
TennisDraw users had overwhelmingly picked Rybakina to lift the trophy in Riyadh, making her withdrawal one of the biggest upsets to bracket predictions this season.
