World No. 1 Rybakina to skip Billie Jean King Cup matches
Elena Rybakina, the leader of Kazakhstan's women's national team and world No. 1, will not play for the national squad in the Billie Jean King Cup finals, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing Sports.kz.
The tennis player explained her decision by citing the need to recover after an intense stretch of the season. Last week, Rybakina won the 2026 US Open. Before that, she had suffered an injury at the Cincinnati tournament.
"Hello everyone! I have to say that I won't be able to play in the Billie Jean King Cup this year. I'm very sad to miss the tournament in Shenzhen — it's a wonderful place with amazing fans. The past month has been hard on my body. I need to recover and get back into top shape so I can compete again. I wish the girls good luck! Alga (Go for it)!" Elena Rybakina wrote on social media.
The Billie Jean King Cup finals will be held from September 22 to 27 at Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. On September 23, Kazakhstan will face Spain.
Qazinform previously reported that Elena Rybakina officially became the world No. 1 following the WTA rankings update.
