Wimbledon champ Rybakina withdraws from Eastbourne citing viral sickness

EASTBOURNE, England — Elena Rybakina withdrew from the Eastbourne International citing a virus sickness on Monday, per week earlier than she’s as a consequence of defend her Wimbledon title.

Eastbourne, the place Rybakina was seeded No. 1, made the announcement earlier than her scheduled first-round match.

Rybakina withdrew final month from the French Open, additionally citing a vial sickness, earlier than her third-round match. Since then, the Kazakh appeared on the Berlin Open final week and misplaced within the second spherical.

Former No. 1 Karolina Pliskova, a two-time Eastbourne champion, moved previous Elise Mertens when the Belgian retired with a left hip harm whereas trailing 6-7 (3), 6-3, 3-0.

Pliskova, the Eastbourne winner in 2017 and 2019, will play Daria Kasatkina subsequent.