Tennis News Roundup: Elena Rybakina under fire for 'unprofessional' withdrawal from Tokyo; Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian swoons over her glamorous 'princess' look

ATP stars gear up for the iconic Paris Masters, starting tomorrow at the La Défense Arena in Nanterre, France. However, players like Novak Djokovic, Jack Draper, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and others have withdrawn from the tournament due to struggles with injuries, as well as exhaustion from their busy tennis schedules.

Meanwhile, visa issues barred Mirra Andreeva from competing in the WTA Finals, as Elena Rybakina clinched a last-minute spot in the top 8. Aryna Sabalenka dominates at the top of the table for the tournament, followed by Iga Swiatek.

On that note, let us take a look at some of the top stories of the day:

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#1. Elena Rybakina's shock Tokyo withdrawal after qualifying for WTA finals

Elena Rybakina needed to qualify for the semifinal of the Tokyo Open to qualify for this edition of the WTA finals, after Mirra Andreeva could not participate in Tokyo due to her visa issues. After putting up a commendable display and qualifying for the semifinals, she found herself in the top 8 in Saudi Arabia and proceeded to withdraw from Tokyo, citing a back injury.

Rybakina's actions were not received well by tennis fans, as a few believed it was a selfish excuse by the Kazakh and posted their opinions on X (formerly Twitter)

"Sorry this is so bs and unprofessional... play the gd tournament," a fan wrote.

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#2. Serena Williams' husband smitten by her glamorous look

Serena Williams' husband, Alexis Ohanian, shared his excitement after seeing the American in a bright red gown as she received the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports. This ceremony is held each year in Oviedo, the capital of the Principality of Asturias in Northern Spain, to acknowledge exceptional contributions to society in many fields, including sports.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion shared an image of the red Gaurav Gupta ensemble she wore as she received the award at the Teatro Campoamor on October 24. Ohanian commented under her post on Instagram, showing how awestruck and proud he was for Williams.

"Officially a princess!! You deserve it all," Ohanian wrote.

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#3. Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa continue their Dubai vacation

Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa took sometime off after their hectic schedules last week in Dubai and have been enjoying their time together since. They kicked off their vacation with date nights, followed by sunbathing in bikinis and beachy outfits, sharing glimpses from their fun on social media.

They continue their vacation and shared some moments from their most recent 'dinner date', where they looked chic in monochrome outfits. Badosa was dressed in a white top and black jacket, while Sabalenka wore a black dress.

"We just love dinner dates💞 @arynasabalenka" Badosa wrote on her Instagram story.

The duo have been the closest friends on the WTA tour and have always been appreciative, even when playing against each other.

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#4. Novak Djokovic sends motivational words to Stan Wawrinka

Novak Djokovic saluted Stan Wawrinka as the Swiss tennis star penned an encouraging note on his Instagram, replying to all the people who have asked him to retire from the sport. The 40-year-old had a heartbreaking exit from Basel yesterday, following which he wrote:

"I’m ok not to win a Grand Slam anymore. I’m ok with not being top 10 anymore. But I love the process of always pushing my own limits. I know the end of my career will come one day, but until then, I will always give my best fight." (an excerpt from the Instagram post).

Djokovic showed his support for the Swiss by reposting it on his Instagram story and sending him motivation to keep going on.

"Stan The Man🙌🏻💪🏻🤩," he wrote.

They have faced each other 27 times in their career.

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#5. Alexander Zverev welcomed the new Masters to be held in Saudi Arabia

Alexander Zverev was in support of the introduction of the new Masters 1000 tournament in Saudi Arabia from 2028 and believed that it had the potential to have a positive impact on the ATP calendar.

Zverev claimed that he does not view this from a political lens and is very much interested in playing in it, if it happens. During a press conference during the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, the German said,

"Three years ago, I wasn't there, but this year it felt like a new country to me. I'm not a politician. If there is a Masters 1000 there, I play it."

Zverev will take on Jannik Sinner in the Vienna final tomorrow.

Edited by Tushhita Barua