Elena Rybakina gives worrying update on her lower back injury ahead of Australian Open 4R

Elena Rybakina, the 2023 Australian Open finalist, faced a challenging third-round match against Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska. Despite a troubling back injury, she secured a 6-3, 6-4 victory.

The World No. 6 player experienced some discomfort in her lower back after three games, forcing her to take a medical timeout. Due to this, her movement was significantly hindered on the court. To overcome the impact of her limited mobility, Rybakina adopted a more aggressive playing style, aiming to shorten rallies.

Yastremska failed to take the opportunity of her wounded opponent. The Ukrainian committed 37 unforced errors and eight double faults. Adding on, she didn't use drop shots, which could have been a major factor for her to win the match. All of these factors combined gave Rybakina the upper hand and allowed her to dominate the match despite her restricted movement.

In her post-match press conference, Elena Rybakina revealed her status on the back injury she faced during the match. She said:

“I don’t know yet, of course, it’s not so good, since it’s lower back but hopefully we can do everything possible in this one and a half day but for now it doesn’t seem too good to be honest.”

This is not the first time Rybakina has had back issues. In August 2024, she withdrew from the US Open after her opening match due to a lower back injury. Soon after that, in September 2024, she pulled out of the Asian swing, which included tournaments in Beijing and Wuhan, to prioritize her health and recovery from the persistent back problem.

These health challenges, coupled with other issues like insomnia and allergies, led to a challenging year for Rybakina.

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Elena Rybakina to face the winner between Danielle Collins and Madison Keys in R4 of the Australian Open

Danielle Collins and Madison Keys - Source: Getty

Looking ahead, Elena Rybakina is slotted to face either Danielle Collins or Madison Keys in the fourth round. The Americans are matched up against each other and are set to play today in the night session. Collins will be in the highlight after her last match ‘Booing Saga’, making it an exciting encounter for the viewers.

However, Rybakina's participation relies on her recovery over the next couple of days. There’s a severe threat of her having to withdraw from the tournament. Expressing hope, she remarked in her on-court interview after the match:

"I will see my physio and hopefully he does some magic."

Fans and the tennis community are undoubtedly concerned about Elena Rybakina's condition, hoping for a swift recovery that will allow her to continue competing at the Australian Open.