(Provided by Tennis World USA)
Elena Rybakina confirmed she noticed Iga Swiatek not being the same after sustaining a thigh injury during their Rome quarterfinal match. Midway through the second-set tie-break, Swiatek sustained a thigh injury and Rybakina went on to win the tie-break with a 7-3 score and force a third set.
With tears in her eyes, Swiatek left the court for a medical time-out and she returned with her thigh strapped. Swiatek was very aggressive after returning to the court as it was clear that the Pole’s movement was impacted by the injury.
The two players were tied to two games apiece in the third set when Swiatek went to the net and shook Rybakina’s hand.
Rybakina on Swiatek retiring injured
“I saw something happen in the tiebreak, on almost the last point but I didn’t know how serious it is.
I saw that the first two games she started really aggressive so I understood that she couldn’t really move that much. but she was still making good returns and I knew that I had to be focused. I know myself that if anything is hurting you’re trying to go for it and a lot of times it works.
So she probably did the same, but after, I guess it was too much,” Rybakina said, per the WTA…
