Elena Rybakina withdraws from next event after defeat to Alex Eala

Elena Rybakina suffered a shock second round defeat to Alexandra Eala at the Berlin Open to continue her woes during the grass court swing.

Rybakina started her season on the grass at Queen’s, where she was surprisingly defeated by Katie Boulter in the quarter-final of the London event.

The Australian Open champion’s time on the grass did not get any better in Berlin, as she was beaten comfortably in straight sets by Eala.

The World No. 2 signed up for several grass court events on the notoriously short swing, but she has dropped her final one just before Wimbledon.

Rybakina will no longer play Bad Homburg in Germany, which is set to take place between the 20th and 27th June in Germany.

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In a statement shared by the tournament, Rybakina said: “Unfortunately, I have to withdraw from Bad Homburg due to some discomfort in my right hip.

“I need to consult with my medical team and undergo further assessment before making any decisions about the next steps. Thank you for your understanding and support.”

The star has played three matches on grass ahead of Wimbledon, so it is probably for the best for Rybakina, especially if she is working through injury.

Rybakina has statistically played her best tennis at Wimbledon out of the four Grand Slams. She holds an 84% win rate at the event from her five appearances.

The World No. 2 has won 21 of her 25 matches at Wimbledon, which includes Rybakina’s impressive run to the title during the 2022 tournament.

Clara Tauson, Barbora Krejčíková, Ons Jabeur, and Aryna Sabalenka are the only four stars to defeat Rybakina at Wimbledon throughout her career.

However, her form heading into the event is a major worry. The star has looked a shadow of the player who stormed to the Australian Open title at the beginning of the year.

For Bad Homburg, however, it is a major blow.

She was the top seed at the event, although Bad Homburg has been slightly boosted by Katie Boulter’s entry into the tournament, as a wildcard.

Boulter will be joining Iga Swiatek, Mirra Andreeva, Elina Svitolina, Karolina Muchova, Linda Noskova, Naomi Osaka, Diana Shnaider, and Iva Jovic, who are set to play as direct entries

Joining them will be the wildcards for the event and Bad Homburg has decided to go with an international flavour.

Britain’s Boulter has been picked, along with the Philippines’ Eala, Germany’s Eva Lys, United States’ Venus Williams, and China’s Zheng Qinwen. Williams and Eala are also set to play in the doubles draw, which will see them make their debut together.

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