"I had sleep problem, insomnia, allergies, then back" - Elena Rybakina reflects on 'up and down' year & finally resting her body ahead of WTA Finals

Elena Rybakina faced several issues surrounding her health and fitness in 2024, but the Kazakh expressed contentment with the rest she received ahead of the WTA Finals. She suffered from insomnia, allergies, and a back injury which kept her out for a major part of the 2024 season.

Rybakina began the season in fine form, winning the Brisbane International and the Abu Dhabi Open. She finished runner-up at the Qatar Open and the Miami Open before bagging another title in Stuttgart.

However, since then, the 25-year-old's season has taken a turn for the worse. She has had to withdraw from multiple tournaments due to injuries and illnesses. Moreover, she recently split with her longtime coach Stefano Vukov, and will begin training with 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic during the offseason.

Due to her bright start to the season, Rybakina comfortably qualified for the WTA Finals. In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during a press conference on Friday, November 1, she was asked about her "stop-and-start year."

"Yeah, this year I had a lot of ups and downs starting with sleep problem, like insomnia, whatever it was. Then allergies, then back. When you have such a rhythm, it's not easy to stop. But after I got used to some rest, I would say. It was really nice," Elena Rybakina said.

She last played a professional match in August at the US Open. The Kazakh returned to training two and a half weeks ago and was happy with her progress.

"Again, it's not easy to start after this break. But I'm happy with the work we did in the last two weeks. Of course, I'm not maybe at my 100%. Yeah, I'm just looking forward and happy to be healthy now and start playing," she added.

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"I want to have fun" - Elena Rybakina has no expectations ahead of the WTA Finals 2024

Elena Rybakina training ahead of the WTA Finals 2024 (Image: Getty)

Ahead of the 2024 WTA Finals, Elena Rybakina reflected on her approach to the tournament, acknowledging that she’s not at her peak form. She shared that she arrived with low expectations.

"The level definitely not at my best. I actually came without much expectation. I want to have fun. I want to see where I am, where is my level now playing against the best players," Rybakina said.

"Yeah, no expectation. Just fight, have fun. Most important for me to stay healthy, yeah, be ready for pre-season and starting fresh for next year," she added.

Rybakina was drawn in the Purple Group with Aryna Sabalenka, Zheng Qinwen, and Jasmine Paolini. The Kazakh is scheduled to begin her campaign in Riyadh on Saturday, November 2, against Jasmine Paolini.