Elena Rybakina Backs Aryna Sabalenka’s Schedule Criticism After Shocking Brisbane Exit

Elena Rybakina's bid to win the Brisbane International ended in the quarter-finals.

Elena Rybakina Backs Aryna Sabalenka’s Schedule Criticism After Shocking Brisbane Exit

Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina (Image via X/sabalenka feeds, Jose Moron)

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Elena Rybakina has stated that she agrees with Aryna Sabalenka’s recent criticism of the tour schedule and believes that there will be no changes to it anytime soon. Her statement comes after several players, including Iga Swiatek, have announced that they will miss mandatory tournaments in 2026 despite knowing they will be penalized.

Earlier this week, World No.1 Sabalenka took aim at the sport governing bodies over the current rules requiring players to participate in certain events (which are known as mandatory tournaments) or risk points penalty or fine. Last year, several players complained about the rule, stressing that it has complicated the tennis calendar as they have little time to rest before each event.

In the WTA, players like Sabalenka, Rybakina, and Swiatek are required to play at least 20 mandatory events each season. They are divided into four Grand Slams, 10 WTA 1000s, and six 500s. However, only players who are injured will not get a penalty for missing any of those tournaments.

Sabalenka told reporters that the rule is part of the reason players are getting injured in recent months. During Rybakina’s press conference in Brisbane, she was asked to weigh in on the issue that Sabalenka raised. The World No.5 agreed with Sabalenka, stating that players should be given more freedom in choosing when and where they want to play:

We all want to have more freedom of choosing what to play, what not to play. You’re kind of forced to play most of the tournaments, so it is not ideal. You don’t need to force anyone to play so many tournaments since it’s so tough on the body. It’s not easy to show the same good results, be healthy all the time. But it’s a topic which we have had for a long time, and I don’t see much changing.

Before Rybakina’s press conference, she crashed out of the Brisbane International after losing to Karolina Muchova in three sets. The former Wimbledon champion was on a 13-match winning streak before the match, equalling the longest winning run of her career, which she set in 2023 between the Dubai Tennis Championships and the Miami Open.

The Kazakhstani 13 match run began in October 2025, when she won her third title last year at the Ningbo Open, then reached the semi-finals of the Japan Open before claiming her maiden WTA Finals in Riyadh. She was among the favorites to win the Brisbane International, which would have been her first title of the season.

Elena Rybakina disappointed with her loss in the quarter-finals in Brisbane

In the build-up to Elena Rybakina’s clash against Karolina Muchova, the former was rated as the favorite to win the match because she was in better form. However, Muchova gave one of her best performances on the court, winning the first set easily, before dropping the momentum in the second, but did well to raise her game in the decider, winning the match 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.

Elena Rybakina (2)
Elena Rybakina (Image via X/AllABoutHQ)

Rybakina was disappointed with her loss after the match. During the aforementioned press conference, the 26-year-old put the loss down to rusty practice sessions after a lengthy off-season between the culmination of the WTA Finals and the Brisbane International:

I’m not the kind of person who practices and straightaway get going on tournaments. I need some matches under my belt to feel more confident. Of course you take some time off, you start working on some things. Physically you are improving, so you need to bring everything also on the court. So it is different definitely, but I think in the long run, it’s just positive, a question when it’s going to click, everything.

If Rybakina had beaten Muchova, she would have faced Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals, which was what the fans were looking forward to. Nonetheless, the defeat will give her time to work on some areas of her game ahead of the 2026 Australian Open, which kicks off on January 18.

Also Read: Nick Kyrgios Takes Major Career Decision Ahead of Australian Open: “See You Out There”