Tennis News Today: Elena Rybakina withdraws from Dubai Tennis Championships after physical exhaustion complaint; Coco Gauff’s coach calls for ‘incidental challenges’ inclusion after American’s umpire saga

Elena Rybakina pulled out of the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships citing a stomach illness after voicing concerns over physical exhaustion.Coco Gauff’s coach Brad Gilbert called for “incidental challenges” following the American’s heated argument with the chair umpire in her third-round match at the 2024 Dubai Championships. Meanwhile, Serena Williams complimented rapper Megan Thee Stallion on her new sneaker collaboration with Nike.

Also, Paula Badosa shared an update about her back injury with fans after her emotional withdrawal from the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Elena Rybakina pulled out of her quarterfinal match against Jasmine Paolini at the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships citing stomach illness.The decision came as she was diagnosed with gastrointestinal issues, leading her to forgo the competition. This withdrawal disrupted her plans for a fourth semifinal appearance in the 2024 season.

Following her round of 16 win against Magdalena Frech, the Kazakh revealed the physical strain she faced due to such a busy schedule. She expressed the increasing difficulty of maintaining good health despite her noteworthy performance earlier in 2024.

“It’s just the beginning of the year. Of course, it’s a great start, but it’s not easy. Most important is to stay healthy. With every match, it’s getting tougher and tougher physically but really happy with the start of the year, hopefully, I just can continue like this,” Rybakina said in her on-court interview.

Coco Gauff’s coach Brad Gilbert expressed solidarity with the 19-year-old after her fiery argument with the chair umpire during her third-round match against Karolina Pliskova at the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships.

The dispute emerged when the chair umpire opted not to give Gauff a point following a valid challenge on a faulty serve. The umpire claimed that the initial “out” call impacted Pliskova’s shot, necessitating a redo of the point. Despite Gauff’s efforts to persuade the umpire, her appeals were unsuccessful.

Gilbert, reacting to a video of the incident on X (formerly Twitter), advocated for “incidental challenges,” citing this as a compelling example of their necessity for players

This is exactly why you should have incidental challenges,” he posted on X.