Paris, Jun 3 (IANS): World No.4 Elena Rybakina on Saturday withdrew from the French Open due to an upper respiratory illness.
The reigning Wimbledon champion announced her withdrawal before she was due to take the court for her third-round match against Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo.
A champion of two WTA 1000 events this year, including most recently on the clay in Rome two weeks ago, Rybakina was bidding to build on her momentum in Paris, where she was a quarterfinalist in 2021.
She did not lose a set through her first two rounds of the tournament, defeating Brenda Fruhvirtova and Linda Noskova. Her 6-3, 6-3 win over Noskova was her eighth win in a row.