Swiatek Withdraws From Ningbo Open With Thigh Injury

Iga Swiatek has withdrawn from the BNB Ningbo Open in China because of a persistent left thigh injury, tournament organizers announced Tuesday, October 20, 2026. The Polish tennis star's decision significantly weakens her chances of reaching the season-ending WTA Finals, where she was competing with Karolina Muchova and Marta Kostyuk for the final available place.

Swiatek, the tournament's second seed and ranked No. 9 in the world, had been dealing with the problem for several weeks. Tournament organizers named Anastasia Zakharova as her replacement in the main draw, according to the WTA's announcement.

The injury also affected Swiatek during her semifinal defeat to fellow Polish player Maja Chwalinska at the Wuhan Open last week. Chwalinska went on to win the tournament, while Swiatek's latest withdrawal leaves her with limited opportunities to improve her position in the race for the year-end championships.

Explaining her decision, Swiatek said she needed to prioritize recovery after considering her condition.

"After careful consideration, I've decided to withdraw from the tournament," Swiatek said in a statement released by the Ningbo tournament.

She also expressed disappointment at missing the competition while emphasizing the importance of addressing the ongoing injury.

"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. I was really looking forward to competing here and I want to thank the tournament organizers and everyone who was hoping to see me play. I'm already looking forward to coming back next year!" Swiatek said.

The withdrawal comes during a challenging season for the six-time major champion. Spanish tennis publication Punto de Break reported that Swiatek had recorded 39 wins and 15 losses in 2026, with her only title coming in Canada. Her run of winning at least one Grand Slam championship in each of the previous five seasons has also ended.

Swiatek's absence changes the qualification picture for the WTA Finals, scheduled to begin November 8 at Indian Wells. According to the WTA's tournament preview cited by Fox Sports, Muchova could secure the remaining position if Swiatek fails to reach the Ningbo quarterfinals and Kostyuk does not reach the final. With Swiatek now withdrawn, the remaining outcome depends on Kostyuk's performance and the applicable qualification standings.

Muchova, currently seventh in the standings, is not competing in Ningbo this week. Kostyuk, ranked 10th in the race, is playing at the tournament as the third seed and remains in contention for the final place.

Swiatek's withdrawal follows several other changes to the women's tour schedule. Sports Yahoo reported that Jessica Pegula and Elina Svitolina also withdrew from Ningbo after securing their WTA Finals places, while Anna Kalinskaya pulled out following injury concerns. Those withdrawals brought additional players into the main draw, including Leylah Fernandez, Diane Parry and Anhelina Kalinina.

The Ningbo Open is part of the final stretch of the 2026 WTA season, with players balancing tournament commitments, injury management and qualification for the year-end championships. Swiatek's immediate priority is recovery from the thigh problem that disrupted her Wuhan campaign and forced her to miss the Chinese tournament.