archiveElena Rybakina

A spate of withdrawals has rocked the 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, with a number of top-tier players pulling out before and during competition, leaving the WTA 1000 event’s draw thinner and opening opportunities for lower-ranked players and “lucky losers.” The tournament, which began February 15, has seen high-profile names bow out due to injury, fatigue or schedule changes.

Madison Keys defeated Elena Rybakina 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in the fourth round of the Australian Open and advanced to the quarterfinals. Keys took almost two hours to hold off Rybakina in a thrilling match between the two.

Ahead of the 2025 Australian Open, world no. 6 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan finds herself mired in a controversy surrounding her coach, Stefano Vukov, which has been suspended by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) amid ongoing investigation into his conduct. 

In the run up to the Australian Open early next year, United Cup has kicked off its third edition in Perth and Sydney. The mixed gender tournament had its opening matches on Friday, December 27. A total of 18 countries participate in this year’s tournament, which include some of the biggest names in pro tennis.

Elena Rybakina defeated Destanee Aiava 6-1, 7-6 (1) in the first round of the US Open and advanced to the second round. Elena Rybakina took almost 90 minutes to hold off Destanee Aiava in a challenging match for World No. 4.