Left thigh injury rules Iga Swiatek out of Ningbo and the WTA Finals

The news came on Tuesday morning: Iga Swiatek has withdrawn from the Ningbo WTA 500. “After careful consideration, I’ve decided to withdraw from the tournament. I’ve been experiencing an ongoing problem with my left thigh over the past weeks,” the Pole wrote in a statement relayed by the tournament. “Giving myself the time to rest and recover is the right decision,” she added.

An injury that has lingered since Wuhan

The problem has followed her since the Wuhan WTA 1000 last week: treated on court, her left thigh strapped, she eventually faded in the semi-final against Maja Chwalinska (5-7, 1-6) on 17 October. In Ningbo, the second seed had a first-round bye and was due to open her tournament against Marie Bouzkova. That match will not be played.

The WTA Finals will go on without her

Ninth in the Race, Swiatek can no longer climb into the top eight: without Ningbo, no points left to add. Rybakina, Sabalenka, Andreeva, Pegula, Gauff, Svitolina and Noskova are already qualified. Karolina Muchova, next in line, is playing neither Ningbo nor Tokyo. Only Marta Kostyuk, tenth, can still pass her, and she would need at least a final to do it.

For the first time since 2020, the Pole will not play the WTA Finals in Indian Wells (7-14 November). She had contested the last five editions and lifted the trophy in 2023. Her own words point the way forward: rest and recover.