Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey took aim at Elena Rybakina on the latest episode of their podcast as the former American tennis players think the 2022 Wimbledon champion pulled off "a stinky" move by withdrawing from Tokyo as soon as she secured a WTA Finals berth.
After winning the WTA 500 tournament in Ningbo, Rybakina was still ninth in the Race to the WTA Finals. But the Ningbo triumph also put the Kazakh in a very strong position to grab the last Riyadh spot since she only needed to reach the Tokyo semifinal for it to happen.
Following a first-round bye in Tokyo, Rybakina defeated Leylah Fernandez and then also Victoria Mboko to make the semifinal. By doing so, the 26-year-old sealed the last WTA Finals ticket. But that was all from the Kazakh in the Japanese capital since she pulled out of her semis match versus Linda Noskova citing a back issue.
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"I'm very sorry I can't play today. I have been having problems with my back this week and can't play 100%. I am disappointed that my fans will not see me today but I hope to see you next year," the former world No. 3 said when announcing her withdrawal.
Johnson, Querrey criticize Rybakina
"I don't know. Make the semis and then just pull the rip cord like 'I've made it. Screw you all,'" former four-time ATP champion Johnson said on the Nothing Major Show.
2017 Wimbledon semifinalist Querrey pretty much agreed with Johnson, saying: "I hate being like, 'Oh, I feel bad for the tournament guy,' but that does stink. Like make the semis and just dip out."
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Rybakina beat out Mirra Andreeva for the last WTA Finals spot in some crazy circumstances. Andreeva was also scheduled to play in Tokyo but was prevented from doing so after reportedly failing to secure visa, and that's how the Russian basically stripped herself of going to Riyadh this year.
