Elena Rybakina certainly turned the tables at the US Open. Coming into the Grand Slam with a win-loss record of 8-6, there weren’t high expectations around her, even though she was among the highest-ranked players in the tournament. But she went on an incredible run and defeated multiple high-ranked players to clinch her maiden crown at Flushing Meadows. However, very little is known about the struggle Rybakina underwent behind-the-scenes. Apparently, she was in a lot of pain while playing and will now have to miss a major tournament to undergo a medical examination.

According to the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation, Rybakina was playing on painkillers at the US Open. As a result, she will have to miss Kazakhstan’s quarterfinal clash against Spain at the Billie Jean King Cup on September 23. The match will be held in Shenzhen, China. During this time, the 27-year-old will return to Kazakhstan and undergo an examination regarding the suspected ankle injury that she sustained at the Cincinnati Masters. Rybakina has confirmed that she won’t be able to participate in the national event.

“I have to announce that I won’t be able to participate in Billie Jean King Cup this year,” she wrote on an Instagram story. “Am very sad to miss Shenzhen such a nice place with an amazing crowd. Last month has been tough for my body and I will need to recover and be at my best to compete again. I wish girls good luck.”

This is a big blow for the Kazakhstan team as they would have depended on their star player to come up with the goods in the Finals. With Rybakina out of contention, Yulia Putintseva is now their main singles option. The likes of Anna Danilina, Zhibek Kulambayeva, and Sonja Zhiyenbayeva will also feature in the match.

While the lineup might not look formidable on paper, they did manage to defeat Canada in the previous match without Rybakina. But Spain is expected to be a much tougher opponent. Their player nominations consist of Cristina Bucsa, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Kaitlin Quevedo, Marina Bassols Ribera, and Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Coming back, Rybakina will be hoping to make a complete recovery as soon as possible. Several important events are yet to be held on the Tour before the WTA Finals. This includes Masters events in both Shanghai and Wuhan. These two tournaments will be held from late September to mid-October. Interestingly, Rybakina has already signed up for an event that will be held in her home country.

Elena Rybakina will conduct master classes for young tennis players in Kazakhstan

As she returns to her home country after clinching the US Open crown, Rybakina will visit both Astana and Almaty. It is here that she will conduct master classes for the younger generation of tennis players in the country.

She will meet her fans and will also share her own experiences with them. This will be quite a memorable event for both Rybakina and her fans. They have been waiting for their local hero to return ever since the US Open concluded. It will be an unforgettable moment for many fans as they will get the rare opportunity to meet their idol.

By dethroning Aryna Sabalenka in the rankings, Rybakina has become the first player from Kazakhstan to bag the milestone. Winning the US Open title as well was the cherry on top of the cake. She had been chasing Sabalenka throughout the year and had remained the World No. 2 since March.

She came close on occasions, but Sabalenka managed to pull away every time. However, Rybakina had a substantially better US swing than the Belarusian, and this proved to be the difference. The 27-year-old reached the final of the Canadian Open before making it to the quarterfinals in Cincinnati. In comparison, Sabalenka got knocked out in the Round of 16 in both competitions.

By winning the US Open final, Rybakina stopped Sabalenka from becoming just the third woman to complete a three-peat in the Grand Slam, adding another layer to their rivalry. The Kazakh now has 9,901 points and is 2,026 points ahead of Sabalenka’s tally of 7,875. It remains to be seen if she will manage to hold the position till the end of the season.