Elena Rybakina’s US Open campaign has suddenly become a question of fitness rather than form. The Kazakh star arrived in North America carrying the confidence of a player capable of challenging for the biggest titles and even the world No. 1 ranking, but an injury that forced her to retire against Iga Swiatek in Cincinnati has now complicated her preparations for New York. Her withdrawal from the US Open mixed doubles event confirms that the problem is serious enough to alter her schedule, although it does not yet mean that Rybakina has withdrawn from the US Open singles tournament.
Rybakina had originally been scheduled to partner Taylor Fritz in the revamped US Open mixed doubles competition, a reunion that had generated considerable interest after the pair’s previous success together. Fritz and Rybakina were among the initial entries announced for the 16-team event, which is being staged before the main singles tournament as part of the US Open’s new approach to mixed doubles. The pair had previously won the Eisenhower Cup mixed doubles exhibition in Indian Wells twice, making their proposed reunion one of the more intriguing combinations in the field.
“I’m just super excited and looking forward to play doubles.” Rybakina had also demonstrated the mindset that has made her such a dangerous hard-court player during her recent run in North America. Even through rain interruptions and repeated delays, she remained focused on the task rather than allowing the disruption to dictate her performance. “No matter what, just keep on going point at a time.”
That approach helped her navigate a demanding schedule, but it may also have contributed to the physical strain that eventually surfaced in Cincinnati. Rybakina had already endured a heavy workload during the Canadian swing before arriving in Cincinnati, and the injury became apparent during her quarter-final against Swiatek. With Swiatek leading 4-1 in the opening set, Rybakina struggled to push off on her serve after a movement at the net and subsequently received medical attention before deciding to retire. The WTA reported that the injury was to her left ankle.
Rybakina later explained that the problem had been bothering her for some time but had appeared manageable until the recent hard-court stretch. The combination of matches in Canada, rain delays and consecutive contests in Cincinnati appeared to aggravate the issue, leaving her concerned enough to undergo an MRI. “Of course now I feel not the greatest, I couldn’t even push from the serve,” Rybakina said, according to the WTA.
“It’s painful to walk, and we will know more tomorrow when I do the MRI. It’s been bothering me for a long period of time. It was under control, but then after playing a lot of matches in Canada and coming here playing two matches in a row. The match against (Magdalena) Frech stopping with the rain delays, I started to feel it more, and I took a day off completely after. It was feeling okay before the match but unfortunately one wrong movement, one landing, and something happened.”
The timing could hardly be more inconvenient. Rybakina entered Cincinnati as world No. 2 and was within touching distance of Aryna Sabalenka at the top of the rankings. With Sabalenka having already suffered an early defeat in Cincinnati, Rybakina had a genuine opportunity to claim the No. 1 position for the first time in her career. She ultimately needed to reach the final to overtake Sabalenka, but her injury ended that possibility. Sabalenka will therefore remain at the top heading into the US Open.
The bigger question now is whether Rybakina will be physically ready when the singles competition begins. Her withdrawal from mixed doubles is an important development, but it should not automatically be interpreted as a singles withdrawal. As of the latest reports, Rybakina has pulled out of mixed doubles while her participation in the main singles draw remains uncertain. Jessica Pegula has taken her place alongside Fritz in the mixed doubles field.
Rybakina’s decision to sacrifice mixed doubles could ultimately be the right call, even if it disappoints fans who were looking forward to seeing her reunite with Fritz. The US Open singles draw is where her ranking, season and Grand Slam ambitions matter most, and there is little value in risking a more serious injury simply to fulfil a secondary commitment. For an athlete who was recently within reach of becoming world No. 1, the priority should be getting healthy enough to compete at her best over two weeks in New York rather than proving her fitness in every available event.
There is also a wider lesson in Rybakina’s situation. The modern tennis calendar demands an extraordinary amount from leading players, particularly during the North American hard-court swing, when the Canadian and Cincinnati tournaments arrive immediately before the US Open. The introduction of a star-heavy mixed doubles event has added another layer to that schedule, with many of the world’s leading singles players now being asked to participate in an additional competition before the Grand Slam itself.
For Rybakina, the decision to withdraw from mixed doubles could therefore be viewed as a sensible attempt to manage her workload. The 27-year-old has already shown that she can compete at the highest level when healthy, and her recent run to the Canadian Open final, where she lost to Swiatek, demonstrated that her form is strong enough to make her a serious US Open contender. Her Cincinnati retirement was particularly frustrating because it came against the same opponent only days after their Toronto final.
Swiatek herself expressed concern after Rybakina’s retirement, recognising that the priority was ultimately her opponent’s health ahead of the US Open. “I wasn’t sure because she didn’t look good obviously. But then she wanted a treatment, so I wasn’t sure if she’s going to be back or not. So I wanted to be really focused on just being ready because breaks like that can really throw you off of your rhythm and the momentum. But then I felt really sorry for her, but hopefully it’s nothing serious.”
The US Open begins its main singles competition on August 30, giving Rybakina only a short window to recover and determine whether she can compete. For now, the correct answer to the question of whether Elena Rybakina will play in the US Open is that she has not been ruled out of the singles event. Her mixed doubles withdrawal is confirmed, but her singles participation will depend on the condition of her left ankle and the results of her medical assessment.
For a player who was recently chasing the world No. 1 ranking and arriving in New York with genuine title ambitions, the situation is an unfortunate reminder of how quickly the equation can change in professional tennis. Rybakina’s immediate challenge is no longer about rankings or another doubles title. It is about getting healthy, protecting the long-term season and deciding whether her body is ready for the demands of another Grand Slam.
