PARIS | Like Félix Auger-Aliassime, the noh 4, Elena Rybakina, has been the victim of a virus which seems to run in the French capital, and she forfeited just before her third round match on Saturday.
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Even if he had not slept all night due to an intestinal virus, Félix had played his first meeting at Roland-Garros, but without conviction and weakened, he lost in three sets against the Italian Fabio Fognini.
For her part, feverish, Rybakina tried everything after two nights without managing to close her eyes.
“I can’t stay on the court for more than 10 minutes,” she explained at a press conference. I was warming up, but I couldn’t breathe.”
“I think the decision is to retire because it’s very difficult to play in this state,” added the champion in Rome.
The 23-year-old Kazakh therefore did not face the Spaniard Sara Sorribes, 132e world, who therefore obtains his ticket for the round of 16. She will be opposed to the winner of the duel between the Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova, 23eand Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, 14e.
Rybakina started to feel bad after her second game.
“I saw the doctors. They told me that in fact there is a virus circulating in Paris. I have allergies, so I think my system is a little weak and I caught something. I have a fever, I have a headache. I think you hear my hoarse voice.”
The fourth seed at Roland-Garros wants to heal in order to be able to defend her title at Wimbledon next month.
Good news for Bianca
Rybakina’s retirement means one less seed in Bianca Andreescu’s portion of the draw. However, the Canadian must first defeat Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko, 66elater today.
Then in case of victory, Bianca could have an appointment with the favorite, the Polish Iga Swiatek.