INDIAN WELLS, California – World No. 1 Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the 2026 FAGE WTA Finals in Indian Wells, citing a viral illness. Marta Kostyuk will take Rybakina’s place in Group 1 and face Linda Noskova in the tournament’s opening match on Sunday, plus Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula in subsequent round-robin matches. “I am very sad to inform all my fans and followers that I unfortunately have to withdraw from the WTA Finals this year,” Rybakina said in a statement. “I’ve had an incredible season, but my body is just not physically ready to compete. I’m going to spend some time resting and recovering at home and preparing for the 2027 season. The WTA Finals are a very special tournament and I wish everyone the best of luck this week. I can’t wait to get back to Indian Wells in March!” Rybakina entered the season’s end-of-year event as the defending champion and went undefeated at the 2025 edition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as the last qualifier. This season, she was ranked No. 1 in singles after winning her third Grand Slam at the US Open, where she also held the No. 1 ranking. Rybakina finishes her 2026 season on the WTA Tour Powered by Mercedes-Benz with a 54-14 record and four titles: the Australian Open, Stuttgart, the US Open and Ningbo. Despite the withdrawal, she earned the WTA year-end number one singles ranking presented by PIF while in Tokyo.
