Defending Champion Rybakina withdraws from Italian Open due to illness

Defending champion Elena Rybakina has pulled out of the Italian Open due to illness, the tournament announced on Friday.

The Wimbledon 2022 champion's withdrawal came just hours before she was scheduled to defend her title against Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu.

Kazakhstan's Rybakina will be replaced by Frenchwoman Oceane Dodin, according to a tournament announcement on X. "We wish our 2023 champion a speedy recovery," they stated.

Rybakina, the world number four, is scheduled to play in the French Open later this month.

SportsLigue