No. 4 seed Elena Rybakina withdrew from the 2024 US Open on Thursday due to a low back injury, putting French qualifier Jessika Ponchet into Round 3.
The pair has been expected to close out Day 4's match schedule on Court 17. Instead, Ponchet, a 27-year-old from Bayonne, will move into the Round of 32 without hitting a ball. The qualifier had previously been 0-5 in Grand Slam main draws before this US Open before she defeated Zheng Saisai 6-1, 6-4 in Round 1.
Rybakina had previously defeated Australia's Destanee Aiava in Round 1 on Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, I have to withdraw from my match today due to my injuries," Rybakina said in a statement. "I did not want to finish the last Grand Slam of the year this way but I have to listen to my body, and I hope I can close out the remainder of the year strong.
"Thank you to all the fans who have and continue to support me, and I wish the remaining players good luck.”
The 2022 Wimbledon champion started 2024 strongly, with two titles in her first four events played, but has since been slowed by a myriad of physical problems. She also reached the WTA 1000 finals in Doha and Miami in the year's first three months.
Before her US Open was cut short, a case of bronchitis interrupted her post-Wimbledon efforts, and forced her to withdraw from both the Olympics and Toronto. She lost her first match in Cincinnati to Leylah Fernandez, failing to convert two match points in a three-set defeat.
Ponchet, meanwhile, is now one of two qualifiers through to Round 3. Also through is Romania's Elena-Gabriela Ruse, who defeated this year's Wimbledon winner, Barbora Krejcikova, in Round 2 on Wednesday.
