"It just happened on the warm-up. It felt a bit uncomfortable" - Elena Rybakina discloses minor setback ahead of WTA Finals semi-final clash

Elena Rybakina has seemingly cruised through the Round Robin phase at the WTA Finals, sweeping aside some of the best players on the WTA circuit. However, she has received a fresh concern ahead of her semi-final match against Jessica Pegula, with a suspected shoulder injury a slight setback.

She looked imperious in her opening three ties, dropping just a singular set in the process. She started her campaign with a statement victory over the recent two-time Grand Slam finalist Amanda Anisimova, who goes into the tournament on brilliant form after clinching her second WTA 1000 title in Beijing. She was tipped as one of the favourites for the title, but could not find an answer against Rybakina.

Following from this, she found herself a set down against Iga Swiatek, with her unbeaten start under threat. Nevertheless, the Kazakhstani upped the gears and dropped just one game for the rest of the match, confirming her qualification through to the semi-final.

Her final matchup was against second-alternative Ekaterina Alexandrova. Despite both players fate firmly sealed, Rybakina wanted to win. "I was trying to win, each match I play I want to win and I knew that she was a tough opponent and I need to be careful. It's definitely good preparation for my next opponent no matter who I play. Ofcourse a win gives you more confidence, so yeah it was important," Rybakina said after her match in an interview with the WTA.

It is not all fun and games for the 2022 Wimbledon champion. It has been a long year for Rybakina, who has competed in numerous events and competitions in 2025. Her season dragged on a lot longer than her rivals, with qualification for the WTA Finals not sealed until the Pan Pacific Open, where she reached the semi-final stage to pip Mirra Andreeva to the final spot by such fine margins.

Her group were the first to commence, meaning that she gets a day off ahead of her semi-final matchup. "A little bit tired physically but I have a day off so it will definitely help," she stated.

There is, however, a slight concern in the Rybakina camp. She has started to feel discomfort in her shoulder during the warm-up for her match against Alexandrova. While it could be a problem for the 26-year-old, she is hoping that it is just a minor setback.

"With the shoulder, it just happened on the warm-up. It felt a bit uncomfortable, so we are going to work on that. Hopefully it's not going to be an issue for my next match and I'll try to do my best as always."

Rybakina and Pegula met recently in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. While the USA prevailed, Rybakina was able to get past Pegula in straight sets. That was their first meeting on the court since the WTA Finals Round Robin back in 2023, where Pegula came out on top.

All the signs look good for Rybakina, who has looked unbeatable at times when stepping on the court. Her serve has been mesmerising, with a lethal forehand finishing opponents off regularly. She also gets to enjoy an extra day's rest ahead of their meeting. Pegula breezed past Jasmine Paolini in yesterday's conclusion to her group. She just squeezed through after Aryna Sabalenka defeated fellow American Coco Gauff in straight sets. Pegula will be a very tricky opponent for Rybakina to deal with. She has had a recent nick of prolonging matches to three sets, coming out on top in many of them. Her fight and battle have clawed her through many ties, with Rybakina knowing that she needs to get a commanding advantage early on, and attempt to fend the dangerous American off.

The semi-final will take place at 15:00 BST this afternoon.