Iga Swiatek has withdrawn from the Ningbo Open, just three days after she was left in tears during her Wuhan Open semi-final. The world No. 9's decision means she cannot qualify for the WTA Finals.
Thigh Injury Forces Withdrawal
Swiatek, who was the second seed in Ningbo, announced her withdrawal in a statement shared by the tournament. She cited an ongoing problem with her left thigh that has troubled her over the past weeks.
"After careful consideration, I've decided to withdraw from the tournament. I've been experiencing an ongoing problem with my left thigh over the past weeks and I feel that giving myself the time to rest and recover is the right decision," Swiatek said in the statement.
Emotional Wuhan Open Exit
The Pole suffered a 7-5 6-1 defeat to countrywoman and eventual champion Maja Chwalinska in Wuhan, receiving a medical timeout during the match. She cried while speaking to her team early in the second set.
Swiatek's physio has since confirmed that they told her to retire, but she wanted to see the match through. The 25-year-old led 5-3 in the first set and had set points on her own serve, but lost 10 of the last 11 games to Chwalinska.
No WTA Finals Qualification
Afterwards, the former world No. 1 admitted she didn't want to retire so her countrywoman could have her moment and properly win the match. "From the beginning of the tournament, I kind of felt pain in my quad," Swiatek said.
"I've been able to manage that day by day and we were already thinking of withdrawing after I played with Magda [Frech] in the first round but I was quite able to play normal, so I wanted to push, and we knew that it's nothing like that it's gonna get worse or something, so in that case, you just need to block it out."
Swiatek's withdrawal means she cannot qualify for the WTA Finals. The six-time Grand Slam champion made five straight appearances at the season-ending championships from 2021 to 2025, and won the tournament in 2023.
Replacement and Next Steps
Anastasia Zakharova has come into the main draw as a lucky loser and takes Swiatek's bye directly into the second round, where she will face Marie Bouzkova.
Swiatek is still on the entry list for next week's WTA 500 event in Tokyo, but it remains to be seen whether she plays now that she is no longer in contention for a WTA Finals spot.
