Elena Rybakina withdraws from Roland Garros with viral illness

The women’s draw at Roland Garros took another hit late Saturday morning when fourth seed Elena Rybakina withdrew ahead of her third-round match due to a viral illness.

The reigning Wimbledon champion was due to face Sara Sorribes Tormo in the first match on Court Philippe Chatrier. Rybakina arrived on the back of triumphing at the WTA 1000 event in Rome and was in the same half of the draw in Paris as world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.

"I couldn’t stay on court for more than 10 minutes," she told press.

Rybakina shared she had a pair of sleepless nights as she battled a fever and headache.

"It was after my second match. Everything was going well. I don't know," Rybakina said. "Just all of a sudden I start to feel bad, and it was not better at all."

As a result, the 26-year-old Sorribes Tormo advances to the round of 16 at a major event for the first time in her career. The Spaniard awaits the winner of No. 14 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia and No. 22 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Rybakina is the fifth Top 10 seed to exit the tournament before the second week. Third-seeded Jessica Pegula, fifth-seeded Caroline Garcia, eighth-seeded Maria Sakkari and 10th-seeded Petra Kvitova were previously knocked out.