Wimbledon champ Rybakina withdraws from Eastbourne citing viral illness

Associated Press | Monday, June 26, 2023 2:03 p.m.

PA via AP

Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova returns a shot to Belgian’s Elise Merten, during a women’s singles match, on day three of the Rothesay International Eastbourne tennis tournament, at Devonshire Park, in Eastbourne, England, Monday, June 26.

EASTBOURNE, England — Elena Rybakina withdrew from the Eastbourne International citing a virus illness on Monday, a week before she’s due to defend her Wimbledon title.

Eastbourne, where Rybakina was seeded No. 1, made the announcement before her scheduled first-round match.

Rybakina withdrew last month from the French Open, also citing a vial illness, before her third-round match. Since then, the Kazakh appeared at the Berlin Open last week and lost in the second round.

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

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

On the men’s side, sixth-seeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina lost his opener to J.J. Wolf of the United States 6-2, 6-4. Wolf earned his first tour win on grass.