World No. 1 Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the WTA Finals at Indian Wells on the eve of the season-ending championships, with the WTA giving a viral illness as the official reason. The defending champion pulled out on Saturday, 7 November, one day before play began, saying her body was not physically ready to compete.

Rybakina, 27, arrived in California as the top seed and the year-end world No. 1, a position she secured in Tokyo, and had already practised on site and taken part in the tournament photoshoot. In a statement she said: "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 getting myself ready for the 2027 season."

Kostyuk steps in as first alternate

Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk, the first alternate, took Rybakina's place in Group 1. Kostyuk had been training on site in Indian Wells and learned on Saturday that she would play. She opened her campaign on Sunday against Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova and lost 6-2, 6-4.

The place did not go to Iga Swiatek, who finished ninth in the race to the Finals, 278 points ahead of Kostyuk. Swiatek ended her season on 20 October to let a left thigh injury heal, so she was not available as an alternate.

What it means for the tournament

Tournament director Garbine Muguruza called the withdrawal disappointing but said Rybakina needed time to recover from the physical toll of a demanding year. Coco Gauff is now the highest-seeded player in Group 1, alongside Jessica Pegula and Noskova.

The Finals moved to Indian Wells from Riyadh, where they had been held since 2024, with player safety given as the decisive consideration. The event runs from 8 to 15 November, with the semi-finals on Saturday 14 November and the final on Sunday 15 November.