Defending Champion Elena Rybakina Withdraws from Rome

Illness has ended Elena Rybakina’s Rome reign.

Defending champion Rybakina withdrew from Rome today due to illness.

The fourth-seeded Rybakina, who leads the WTA Tour with 30 wins this season, pulled out prior to her scheduled match vs. Irina-Camelia Begu on Court Centrale.

“I am disappointed to have to withdraw from Rome this year, but unfortunately I do not feel well enough to compete,” Rybakina said in a statement. “I have such good memories from last year and was looking forward to defending my title.

“Rome is so special to me, and I look forward to being back next year to reclaim my title and play in front of the Italian fans.”

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In her pre-tournament presser on Tuesday, Stuttgart champion Rybakina said she had not practiced in days because she needed rest after her run to the Madrid semifinals where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in third-set tiebreaker after edging Yulia Putintseva, 7-5, in the third set of the quarterfinals.

“Well, I didn’t practice for, like, three, four days,” Rybakina said on Tuesday. “Today I managed to hit a bit. Yeah, I think that’s the way to keep on going because it’s not easy with our schedule.”

Oceane Dodin replaced Rybakina in the Rome draw and later retired down 2-5. Begu advancecd to the round of 32 against 27th-seeded Belgian Elise Mertens.

Rybakina’s departure opens up the third quarter of the draw.

No. 5-seeded Maria Sakkari is the highest seed in the third quarter that includes No. 11-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini, red-hot Danielle Collins, Caroline Garcia and Victoria Azarenka.

This is the second time illness has derailed Rybakina’s title defense. She withdrew from Indian Wells last March due to gastrointestinal illness.