Rybakina Withdraws from Tokyo
<![CDATA[Elena Rybakina pulls out of Tokyo after being bypassed for a bye.]]>
Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, September 25, 2024Bypassed for a bye, Elena Rybakina said good-bye to Tokyo.The 2022 Wimbledon champion withdrew from this week's Toray Pan Pacific Open citing illness.More: Federer Addresses United NationsHalep on Doping Ban: It's InsaneThe withdrawal comes a couple of days after Rybakina ripped the WTA for its trial of performance byes in Tokyo.
Rybakina not holding back 😳😳😳 pic.twitter.com/VcKRAsQyAC
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) September 23, 2023
Under traditional rules, Rybakina would have received a first-round bye in Tokyo.However, due to the WTA trialing "performance byes" she was bumped from her first-round bye in favor of Guadalajra champion Maria Sakkari and WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia, who reached the semifinals in Guadalajara."Performance bye,” Rybakina wrote in an Instagram post. “Thank you for changing the rules last moment… great decisions as always, WTA.”Of course, both things can be true: Rybakina could be both ill and upset by losing out on a bye or perhaps she's just sick and tired of the disrespect she's received despite winning Wimbledon last year and reaching the Australian Open final last January.Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport ]]>
Richard Pagliaro. Richard Pagliaro is Tennis Now Managing Editor. He is a graduate of New York University and has covered pro tennis for more than 35 years. Richard was tennis columnist for Gannett Newspapers in NY, served as Managing Editor for TennisWeek.com and worked as a writer/editor for Tennis.com. He has been TennisNow.com managing editor since 2010.
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