Rybakina's Wimbledon Doubt
Elena Rybakina Withdraws From Bad Homburg Open, Raising Wimbledon Concerns Due to Injury
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Tournament organizers reported the preliminary cause as “discomfort in her right thigh” (as opposed to just “right hip”), according to Qazinform.
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Before withdrawing, Rybakina had an early grass swing that included a Queen’s Club comeback win over defending champion Tatjana Maria (6-7(4), 7-5, 6-0) before losing later in the same event.
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At Berlin, she received a first-round bye and then lost her opening match to Alexandra Eala 7-5, 6-4—one day before pulling out of Bad Homburg.
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Reuters reported the broader Wimbledon-prep slump: Rybakina had lost three of her last four matches, with the run beginning after a second-round defeat at the French Open to Yaroslava Starodubtseva.
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Reuters also put the season in context, saying Rybakina is 32-10 overall this year and has won titles at the Australian Open and Stuttgart.
Elena Rybakina, the world No. 2, has pulled out of the Bad Homburg Open citing "discomfort in my right hip," putting her Wimbledon preparations in serious doubt. The withdrawal came one day after she lost to world No. 35 Alexandra Eala 7-5, 6-4 in Berlin — her third defeat in four matches.
Wimbledon begins June 29. Rybakina said she needs to "consult with my medical team and undergo further assessment" before deciding her next steps, according to Tennis Head. She has played only three grass-court matches in 2026, winning just one.
A Grass Swing That Fell Apart Fast
Rybakina's grass season began with promise. She beat defending Queen's Club champion Tatjana Maria in a comeback, winning 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-0, according to Tennis365. But she then fell to world No. 73 Katie Boulter in the quarterfinals. Her 2026 grass record now sits at a bleak 1-2.
The slump started even before the grass. Freedom 96.9 noted the run began with a second-round French Open loss to world No. 55 Yuliia Starodubtseva in late May. Rybakina has lost three of her last four matches overall, a sharp fall for a player who entered the season 32-10.
Eala Defeat Exposed Rybakina's Fragile Form
The Berlin loss was telling. Rybakina won fewer than 30% of her second-serve points and was broken three times by Eala, a 21-year-old Filipino wildcard, according to Tennis365. Eala also noted Rybakina racked up 71 unforced errors across the match — a sign of a player far from her best.
Taylorville Daily News reported the defeat came just one day before Rybakina pulled out of Bad Homburg. The back-to-back blows leave her with almost no match practice heading into Wimbledon, where she holds a 21-4 career record and won the title in 2022.
Hip or Thigh? A Discrepancy in the Injury Reports
Most outlets reported the injury as a right hip issue. But Kazakh regional media told a slightly different story. According to Head Topics, tournament organizers listed the preliminary cause as "discomfort in her right thigh" — pointing to a possible muscular strain rather than a joint problem.
This is not Rybakina's first brush with physical trouble. After winning the 2025 WTA Finals, she admitted to long-term "concerning issues" with her legs that "cannot be resolved quickly," per Tennis365. Critics argue her team signed her up for three straight WTA 500 grass events, and her body paid the price.
Ranking Race Stalls as Świątek Takes Top Seed in Bad Homburg
The withdrawal reshapes more than just one tournament. Rybakina trails world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka by 947 WTA points — Sabalenka holds 9,003 to Rybakina's 8,143, according to Tennis365. Because Sabalenka has 975 points to defend at Wimbledon versus Rybakina's 238, this was a real window to close the gap. That window is now nearly shut.
With Rybakina out, Iga Świątek moves up to top seed at Bad Homburg. The tournament also handed a wildcard to Venus Williams, who will play both singles and doubles. Tennis Head noted organizers still have star power — but losing a reigning Grand Slam champion is a real blow to the draw.
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