Elena Rybakina's US Open involvement cast into doubt as MRI scans set to determine seriousness of injury
WTAFriday, 21 August 2026 at 13:00
Elena Rybakina was forced to withdraw from her Cincinnati Open quarter-final against Iga Swiatek after an issue with her left ankle. As fans fear the worst, Rybakina waits for the outcome with the US Open drawing closer.
It was a rematch of the recent Canadian Open final, and while Swiatek was triumphant in both, this outcome was a lot more serious. The Kazakh was forced to get medical treatment halfway through the sixth game while 4-1 down following being broken. This occurred after she felt some pain in her left ankle area.
She soldiered on for a couple more points before making the tough but sensible decision to retire and hand Swiatek a free route into the semi-finals. The title defence is still very much on with Jessica Pegula her opponent. For Rybakina, the worst is feared.
“Unfortunately one wrong movement and something happened"
If it is an achilles injury, then that could spell doom for the two-time Grand Slam champion and possibly rule out her US Open chances. As well as that, a huge opportunity is rising through the constant slip-ups of Aryna Sabalenka.
All those recent early exits have left the door open to snatch away the World No.1 spot from her after the Belarusian has spent the last 96 weeks on top. Rybakina would need to reach the final to confirm that, but that has obviously not occurred.
After the retirement, she spoke to AP to give some insight on the injury. “Of course I feel not the greatest,” Rybakina said. “It’s painful to walk. We’ll know more tomorrow when we have the MRI. It’s been bothering me for a long period of time but felt like I had it under control.”
She decided to give it another go following the initial injury, but the pain was too much once she started putting pressure on it when serving, making her decision a lot more straightforward. “It was feeling OK before (Thursday’s) match,” Rybakina said. “Unfortunately one wrong movement and something happened.”
Behind the scenes, footage was filmed of the World No.2 sitting on the floor looking demoralised. A sombre facial expression was painted on her face with taping surrounding the left ankle area. It seemed that the whole situation was sinking in for her, in turn being a tough pill to swallow.
Elena 🥺💔
— Lukasinho (@LukasFCB321) August 21, 2026
Hopefully she will recover for USO... #wta #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/QFQim49iVC
With there just over a week before the US Open starts, these next days will be crucial. The scan that she will undergo will showcase the damage and reveal how serious it is.
It comes at a cruel time. Following a bit of a slide in form on clay and grass, Rybakina was again finding her feet on hardcourt. She battled through the field in Toronto enroute to that final defeat before again showing her class in Cincinnati, cruelly prevented of a better result.
Lucas MichaelTennis Journalist
Lucas Michael is a tennis journalist based in Cambridge, UK, specializing in comprehensive coverage of the ATP and WTA tours. For the past 1.5 years, he has been a core contributor to TennisUpToDate, where he has authored more than 3,000 data-driven match reports, deep-dive analysis pieces, and engaging liveblogs.
Lucas pairs real-time statistical analysis with on-the-ground reporting, frequently traveling to tournaments to cover the action firsthand from the press box and player press conferences. This blend of advanced metrics and direct access allows him to provide sharp context regarding player form, tactical trends, and breaking tour developments.
He holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. Grounded in core journalistic ethics, Lucas places a strict emphasis on meticulous sourcing, editorial accuracy, and a commitment to updating live content swiftly as verified information emerges.
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