A week before the US Open began, Elena Rybakina’s name probably wasn’t high on many people’s list of title favorites. The Kazakh had just been forced to pull out of the Cincinnati Masters quarterfinals after picking up an Achilles tendon injury, leaving plenty of questions about whether she would even be able to make a deep run in New York. Instead, Rybakina turned the script completely on its head.

Over the next two weeks, she battled her way through Flushing Meadows, defeated Aryna Sabalenka to win her maiden US Open title, and walked away as the new World No. 1. It was an extraordinary run, but one she managed while still dealing with the pain, using medication to keep herself going.

Now, though, the price of that remarkable fortnight appears to be catching up with her. Rybakina has been forced to withdraw from the national event, with her body finally calling for a timeout after a demanding run in New York.

According to the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation, Rybakina was playing on painkillers at the US Open. As a result, she will have to miss Kazakhstan’s quarterfinal clash against Spain at the Billie Jean King Cup on September 23.

The match will be held in Shenzhen, China. During this time, the 27-year-old will return to Kazakhstan and undergo further examination and treatment for the Achilles injury that first flared up in Cincinnati. Rybakina has confirmed that she won’t be able to participate in the national event.

The injury had already put Rybakina’s US Open participation in doubt before her campaign began. In her opening match at Flushing Meadows, she beat 17-year-old American wild card Thea Frodin 6-3, 6-2, but admitted that her recovery remained a day-to-day process.

Rybakina said the physio who examined her in Cincinnati had told her that her Achilles tendon was not torn, although the pain did not immediately subside. She went a full week without hitting and was limited in the movement work she could do in the gym as she tried to recover in time for New York.

“We didn’t know if I’m going to be able to play here or not,” Elena Rybakina said after the win. “We were taking it day by day.”

Her victory over Frodin offered an early indication that she could compete despite the discomfort. But the federation’s later revelation that she required painkillers for the final stages of the tournament underlined how demanding the title run had been on her body.

Now, though, the price of that remarkable fortnight appears to be catching up with her. Rybakina has been forced to withdraw from the national event, with her body finally calling for a timeout after a demanding run in New York.

“I have to announce that I won’t be able to participate in Billie Jean King Cup this year,” she wrote on an Instagram story. “Am very sad to miss Shenzhen such a nice place with an amazing crowd. Last month has been tough for my body and I will need to recover and be at my best to compete again. I wish girls good luck.”

With Rybakina out of contention, Yulia Putintseva is now their main singles option. The likes of Anna Danilina, Zhibek Kulambayeva, and Sonja Zhiyenbayeva will also feature in the match.

While the lineup might not look formidable on paper, they did manage to defeat Canada in the previous match without Rybakina. But Spain is expected to be a much tougher opponent. Their player nominations consist of Cristina Bucsa, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Kaitlin Quevedo, Marina Bassols Ribera, and Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Rybakina will now be hoping for a full recovery as the season still has plenty left to offer before the WTA Finals. The upcoming calendar includes WTA 1000 events in Wuhan and Beijing, with both tournaments scheduled between late September and mid-October.

Interestingly, Rybakina has already committed to an event in her adopted home country, giving her another reason to get back on court as soon as possible.

Elena Rybakina will conduct master classes for young tennis players in Kazakhstan

As she returns to her home country after clinching the US Open crown, Rybakina will visit both Astana and Almaty. It is here that she will conduct master classes for the younger generation of tennis players in the country.

She will meet her fans and will also share her own experiences with them. This will be quite a memorable event for both Rybakina and her fans. They have been waiting for their local hero to return ever since the US Open concluded. It will be an unforgettable moment for many fans as they will get the rare opportunity to meet their idol.

Rybakina’s rise to the top of the rankings was secured before the US Open final. After beating Naomi Osaka to reach the quarterfinals, she recovered from a set down to defeat Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 and book her place in the semifinals. That victory guaranteed she would replace Aryna Sabalenka as World No. 1 when the updated WTA rankings were released after the tournament.

The milestone made Rybakina the first player, male or female, representing Kazakhstan to reach the top of the singles rankings, as well as the 30th woman to become World No. 1. Her win over Sabalenka in the final then added a maiden US Open crown to the biggest ranking achievement of her career.

The Kazakh had the stronger North American hard-court swing before the US Open. She reached the Canadian Open final, where she lost to Iga Swiatek, before her Cincinnati campaign ended when she retired from her quarterfinal against Swiatek with a left ankle injury. Sabalenka, meanwhile, was eliminated in the Round of 16 at both the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open.

By winning the US Open final, Rybakina stopped Sabalenka from becoming just the third woman to complete a three-peat in the Grand Slam, adding another layer to their rivalry. The Kazakh now has 9,901 points and is 2,026 points ahead of Sabalenka’s tally of 7,875. It remains to be seen whether she can hold the position until the end of the season.