Elena Rybakina's 2026 Cincinnati Open run has ended, after a left ankle injury forced her to withdraw from Thurssday's quarterfinal match against Iga Świątek.
Elena Rybakina Injury Derails Opening Set
The injury followed an awkward landing at the net while Rybakina trailed 1-4 in the opening set. The No. 2 seed later said the ankle had been bothering her for a while, but worsened after consecutive weeks in Toronto and Cincinnati.
"It's painful to walk, and we will know more tomorrow when I do the MRI," she said, adding that it came down to "one wrong movement, one landing."
The retirement also curbs her pursuit of the world No. 1 ranking. Rybakina needed a finals berth in Cincinnati to overtake Aryna Sabalenka, a window that opened after Sabalenka's fourth-round loss to Sara Bejlek earlier in the week.
Instead, Sabalenka now holds the top spot heading into this month's 2026 US Open.
Iga Świątek Advances to 2026 Cincinnati Open Semifinals
Meanwhile, Świątek advances to the semifinals riding a 10-match winning streak after capturing last week's Canadian Open title. Still, she admitted the moment shook her.
"It's a shame," she said. "I thought we were playing a good match, but health is a priority. I hope she's going to be okay."
Świątek now faces US titan Jessica Pegula in a semifinal match slated for Saturday.
