Iga Swiatek has stepped away from the Ningbo Open in China, a decision that complicates her path to the season-ending WTA Finals. The Polish star cited a persistent issue with her left thigh as the reason for her exit, which was confirmed on Tuesday. Asharq Al-Awsat noted that the six-time major winner had been dealing with this physical setback following her semifinal defeat at the Wuhan Open earlier in the week. In a social media statement, Swiatek explained that resting was the appropriate choice, noting, "I've been experiencing an ongoing problem with my left thigh over the past weeks."
Khaleej Times reported that the injury affected her performance during her 7-5, 6-1 loss to Maja Chwalinska in Wuhan. The publication highlighted that the Pole has claimed just one title this season and did not progress past the quarterfinal stage at any of the four major championships. To displace Czech player Karolina Muchova for the final qualifying slot, Swiatek needed to advance to the quarterfinals in Ningbo. Since she is now absent from the WTA 500 event, Muchova holds a significant advantage, though Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk remains a threat. Kostyuk must accumulate 815 points at Ningbo and the subsequent Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo to secure her place.
The WTA Finals are scheduled for November 8 through 15 in Indian Wells, California. Khaleej Times indicated that while direct qualification is now unlikely, Swiatek could still participate as an alternate. She has competed in every edition of the tournament since 2021 and captured the title in 2023. Sportstar confirmed that Swiatek was among three athletes competing for the last spot in the eight-player field, with Muchova and Kostyuk ahead of her before this week's tournaments began. This withdrawal marks a notable hurdle for the 25-year-old as she prepares for the year's concluding competition.