Rybakina retires from Cincinnati clash with Swiatek
World number two tennis player Elena Rybakina retired from her Cincinnati Masters quarter-final match against Iga Swiatek due to a left heel injury. The withdrawal comes shortly before the U.S. Open, raising concerns about her fitness for the upcoming Grand Slam.
Why it matters
The injury impacts the current WTA rankings and the competitive landscape of the upcoming U.S. Open tournament.
World number two Elena Rybakina had to quit her quarter-final at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters, retiring while trailing Iga Swiatek 4-1 in the opening set on Thursday (August 20, 2026).
The Kazakh suddenly stopped play, unable to put any weight on her left heel, and after a brief intervention from her trainer was forced to retire after one more point.
Rybakina's injury — coming 10 days before the U.S. Open begins — sends Swiatek into a Cincinnati semi-final with third-seeded Jessica Pegula, who defeated Amanda Anisimova 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/4).
Had two-time Grand Slam winner Rybakina reached the Cincinnati final she would have risen to number one in the world for the first time in her career, following incumbent Aryna Sabalenka's round-of-16 exit.
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