Just In: Elena Rybakina decides on pulling out of US Open hours before tournament starts
Elena Rybakina struggled to walk last week but confirms she is planning to play the US Open. The Australian Open champion insists she is “all good” despite limping out of her Cincinnati Open quarter-final with Iga Swiatek last week. There is a chance that Rybakina could usurp Aryna Sabalenka at the top of the world rankings with success at Flushing Meadows.
Ryabkina picked up a heel injury Stateside that proved very painful, but she has been practising in recent days after her arrival in New York. “I started to practice, so I feel well,” the Kazakh said in her Saturday press conference. “We’re still making some adjustments, but overall I’m happy how we dealt with the problem.
We worked hard and likely it’s all good right now and it’s just a matter of a couple more practices and then, yeah, going on the match.”
Rybakina will become world No. 1 if she reaches the semi-final and begins her campaign against home favourite Thea Frodin.
But the 27-year-old is not concerning herself with the overall picture and is solely focusing on her upcoming match.
“From media mostly I know where I should get, how the others should play, all the different scenarios,” she added. “But for me, especially now when I had this injury last week, I feel like the most important (is) just try to stay healthy, play match at a time.
“I’m trying not to think about it at all and just play match at a time.
Rybakina admitted to visiting several doctors to discuss her heel as she took some time off from the court.
She explained: “It wasn’t easy because we didn’t know exactly how the foot is gonna react, since it was very painful for me to go and serve on that match in Cincinnati, then for a couple of days it was painful to even walk.
“After, we managed to do everything possible for it to get better, and I’m glad how the process is going for now.
“I’m quite confident with the decision we are making each day how to practice, what to do, and especially what can happen worst-case scenario. So all these things I feel quite confident.”
