Elena Rybakina Says Heel Injury Is ‘All Good’ Before US Open

Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina says her heel injury is improving ahead of the US Open after it forced her to retire from her Cincinnati WTA quarter-final last week. The Kazakh player said she had returned to practice and felt encouraged by the progress made since the setback.

“I started to practice, so I feel well,” Rybakina said on Saturday. “We’re still making some adjustments, but overall I’m happy how we dealt with the problem. We worked hard and likely it’s all good right now and it’s just a matter of a couple more practices and then, yeah, going on the match.”

The update is significant heading into the final Grand Slam of the season at Flushing Meadows. Rybakina can replace Aryna Sabalenka at the top of the world rankings by reaching the semi-finals, regardless of whether Sabalenka wins a third consecutive title.

Rybakina prioritises health over ranking scenarios

Although the ranking possibility is clear, Rybakina said she is not allowing it to become her focus. She said much of the discussion around the possible permutations comes from media coverage, but her priority has been shaped by the injury issue that emerged in Cincinnati.

“From media mostly I know where I should get, how the others should play — all the different scenarios,” she said. “But for me, especially now when I had this injury last week, I feel like the most important (is) just try to stay healthy, play match at a time.”

Rybakina repeated that approach when discussing the US Open challenge ahead. Rather than concentrating on what other players must do or how far she needs to advance, she said she is attempting to keep her attention on each match as it comes.

“I’m trying not to think about it at all and just play match at a time,” she said.

The heel problem interrupted Rybakina’s Cincinnati campaign during her quarter-final against Iga Swiatek. She said the issue was severe enough that serving in that match was painful, and the discomfort continued in the days after her retirement.

Rybakina said she did not play for a week after leaving the Cincinnati match and sought advice from several doctors. The uncertainty in the initial period came from not knowing how her foot would respond as she tried to resume activity.

“It wasn’t easy because we didn’t know exactly how the foot is gonna react, since it was very painful for me to go and serve on that match in Cincinnati … then for a couple of days it was painful to even walk,” Rybakina said.

She added that her team had worked to give the injury the best possible chance to improve, and she was pleased with how that process had developed.

Practice return offers a positive US Open sign

Rybakina’s return to practice is the clearest positive sign in her update, even as she said further adjustments were still being made. Her comments indicate that the decision-making around training remains day by day, with a couple more practice sessions identified as part of her preparation before match play.

The Australian Open champion also said she was confident that concern over a recurrence would not hold her back at the US Open. She pointed to the confidence she has in the daily decisions being made on practice and in considering potential worst-case outcomes.

“I’m quite confident with the decision we are making each day how to practice, what to do, and especially what can happen worst-case scenario,” Rybakina said. “So all these things I feel quite confident.”

For Rybakina, the immediate objective is therefore straightforward: remain healthy, complete her final preparation and take the tournament one match at a time. The world No. 1 opportunity remains available, but her focus is on arriving ready to compete.