A semi-final run in New York would make Elena Rybakina world No. 1 for the first time. On Wednesday she confirmed she still had not hit a ball since limping out of Cincinnati.

“I picked up some injury [in my] last tournament so I am trying to do everything possible to recover. And for now it has been going well,” Rybakina told reporters at her pre-tournament press conference.

“Unfortunately, I was not on the court yet [to practice]. We will try it in the next few days, but yeah it seems okay.”

The US Open main draw begins Sunday, 30 August. Rybakina spoke on 26 August.

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A semi-final away from No. 1

Rybakina sits at WTA No. 2, behind Aryna Sabalenka at the top of the singles rankings. Sabalenka is the defending US Open champion and has 2,000 ranking points to defend in New York.

The combination gives Rybakina a clear route to the top: reach the semi-finals in Flushing Meadows and she becomes world No. 1 for the first time in her career. Her career high is No. 2.

“It was very important [to rest], in total I have like 10 days [to recover] and I still have a couple more to prepare,” Rybakina said.

No practice court since Cincinnati

Rybakina retired mid-quarter-final against Iga Swiatek in Cincinnati last week, trailing 1-4 in the first set after an awkward landing at the net. She said she could not push off her serve and that walking was painful, and confirmed she would have an MRI the following day.

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The ankle, she has since said, had been bothering her for a long period, and deteriorated across back-to-back weeks in Toronto and Cincinnati.

Swiatek, who advanced when Rybakina retired, said the moment left her shaken.

“Honestly, I felt a bit, like, scared because I don’t know if I see a player having an injury like that,” Swiatek told reporters in Cincinnati.

The scan appears to have brought better news than Rybakina had feared. Her Wednesday comments do not include a firm return-to-practice date.

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“It depends also when it’s going to be my [first] match, but we just don’t want to rush and yeah, just taking my time to be 100%.”

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