PARIS: Reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina pulled out of the French Open before her third-round match on Saturday due to illness. Fourth-seeded Rybakina was supposed to face 132nd-ranked Sara Sorribes Tormo in the day's opening contest on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The match was scheduled to begin at 11:45 a.m. local time, but instead, Rybakina sat down at a news conference to explain why she was withdrawing from the year's second Grand Slam tournament.
"I just wanted to give 100 per cent, and obviously I'm far from being 100 per cent. If I cannot breathe, there is no chance I can even run and try to compete," said Rybakina.
She explained that she has been running a fever, didn't sleep well the past two nights and had difficulty breathing during a warmup session on Saturday ahead of her match.
After consultation, she said that a doctor told her that there is a virus going around in Paris.
Rybakina, won each of her first two matches this week in straight sets and was considered one of the top contenders for the championship at Roland Garros.
She had won her past 10 matches, including a title on red clay at the WTA 1000 Italian Open last month.
Last July, Rybakina won her first major trophy, defeating Ons Jabeur in the final at Wimbledon.
The walkover allows the 26-year-old Sorribes Tormo to advance to the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career.