Rybakina withdrawal a blow but WTA Finals field remains strong, says Muguruza

Nov 7 : Elena Rybakina's withdrawal from the WTA Finals on the eve of the season-ending championships is disappointing, but the world number one needs time to recover from the physical toll of a demanding year, tournament director Garbine Muguruza said.

Defending champion Rybakina pulled out of the tournament on Saturday, saying she was not physically ready to compete, leaving Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk to take her place in the eight-player field at Indian Wells. Tournament organizers later said a viral illness was the official reason for the withdrawal.   

Muguruza, the former world number one and two-time Grand Slam champion, said she had spoken with Rybakina and that the Kazakh had been unable to recover in time after struggling with physical problems late in the season.

"We love Elena and we know that she was feeling so-so in Tokyo as well," Muguruza told Reuters. "I spoke to her today and she really couldn't recover on time.

"What we want is for her to feel good, to go rest, to recover. We don't want her to feel like she has to play — only if she's ready to."

Rybakina, who won two Grand Slam titles this year, also withdrew from ⁠the ​Tokyo quarter-finals last month ​because of a neck injury.

'AMAZING FIELD'

Rybakina's absence deprives the event of some star power, but Muguruza said the round-robin format and depth of the field would ensure a high-quality tournament.

"We have the best players," said Muguruza, who triumphed at the WTA Finals in Guadalajara in 2021. 

"I know our world number one is not going to be able to play, but we have an amazing field, the very best.

"Every match could be a Grand Slam final. You really need to be ready. You cannot give one inch."

Kostyuk, who is making her WTA Finals debut after a breakthrough