Defending champion Elena Rybakina‘s hopes for a back-to-back triumph at the BNP Paribas Open were dashed when she was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to illness.
Last year, as the No.10 seed, Rybakina secured her first WTA 1000 title by defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the Indian Wells final. She also overcame world No.1 Iga Swiatek in the semifinals. On Friday, ahead of her opening match, Rybakina expressed deep regret over her withdrawal, emphasizing the importance of the tournament to her and her desire to defend her title:
It is with great sadness I must announce, I will not be able to participate at this year’s Indian Wells tournament due to gastrointestinal issues. Those close to me know how much this tournament means to me and how much I wanted to come back and defend my title.
The world No.4 had been leading the tour in wins for the year with 17 victories. Her impressive record included title runs in Brisbane and Abu Dhabi, as well as a runner-up finish in Doha to Iga Swiatek.
