Tennis-Defending champ Rybakina withdraws from Italian Open with illness

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - May 2, 2024 Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina reacts during her semi final match against Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka REUTERS/Juan Medina

(Reuters) - Defending champion Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the Italian Open due to illness, the tournament said on Friday.

The Wimbledon 2022 champion's withdrawal was announced hours before she was scheduled to begin her title defence against Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu.