Iga Świątek has ended her 2026 season with a left thigh injury, and Karolína Muchová has taken the last singles place at the WTA Finals 2026 in Indian Wells. Świątek withdrew from the Ningbo Open on Tuesday 20 October, saying she would not play again this year, according to the WTA.
A day later, Marta Kostyuk retired injured in Ningbo, which ended her slim hopes and confirmed Muchová’s place. As a result, the eight-player field for the season finale from 8 to 15 November is now set.
Why Świątek’s Season Is Over
The problem surfaced in Wuhan. Świątek was serving for the first set of her semi-final against Maja Chwalińska at 5–3 when she called the physio for her left leg.
She then lost 10 of the last 11 games and went down 7–5, 6–1. Afterwards, she said she had felt pain in her quad from the start of the tournament. “Today was just too much,” she told the WTA.
In her Ningbo statement, she described an “ongoing problem with my left thigh” over recent weeks. She added that she wanted to rest and recover fully, Sports Illustrated reported, and no detailed diagnosis has been made public.
The decision ends a streak. Świątek, the 2023 WTA Finals champion, will miss the event for the first time since 2019, and she finishes 2026 with one title, in Canada.
How Muchová Clinched the Last WTA Finals 2026 Spot
Muchová was seventh in the race before Ningbo, according to the WTA. With Świątek out, only Kostyuk could still catch her, and she needed to reach the Ningbo final.
However, Kostyuk retired after losing the first set 6–4 to Ekaterina Alexandrova in the second round on Wednesday 21 October, the WTA reported. “The pain in my wrist came back,” she told ESPN.
That sealed it for Muchová, who will make her WTA Finals debut at 30. Her place caps a fine season in which she won her first WTA 1000 title. Read our report on her China Open clash with Naomi Osaka.
WTA Finals 2026: The Full Singles Field
Here are the eight qualifiers with their race points, according to the WTA:
| Race | Player | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elena Rybakina | 7,502 |
| 2 | Aryna Sabalenka | 6,560 |
| 3 | Mirra Andreeva | 6,306 |
| 4 | Jessica Pegula | 5,835 |
| 5 | Coco Gauff | 5,774 |
| 6 | Elina Svitolina | 5,229 |
| 7 | Karolína Muchová | 4,735 |
| 8 | Linda Nosková | 4,354 |
Rybakina is the defending champion and the world No. 1. She beat Sabalenka in both the Australian Open and US Open finals this year.
Meanwhile, Nosková qualifies as the Wimbledon champion, and Andreeva arrives as the French Open champion. In short, all four of this year’s Grand Slam winners will be in Indian Wells. See every major winner in our Grand Slam champions guide.
How the WTA Finals Work
The eight players split into two round-robin groups of four. The top two in each group reach the semi-finals, followed by the final.
The WTA has not yet announced the date of the group draw. It also has not confirmed the 2026 prize money, though it called it one of the largest prize pools in women’s sport.
Why the WTA Finals Moved to Indian Wells
The event was due to stay in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which hosted in 2024 and 2025. However, the WTA and the Saudi Tennis Federation agreed to end the deal early, NBC Sports reported.
According to the Associated Press, the decision followed security concerns linked to conflict in the Middle East. The WTA then announced Indian Wells as the 2026 host on 1 July, the WTA said.
From 2027, the event moves again. Charlotte, North Carolina, will host from 2027 to 2029, and the WTA is also moving its headquarters there, the WTA announced.
Who Are the Alternates?
The WTA has not yet named its alternates. With Świątek and Kostyuk both injured, the next players in the race are Iva Jovic and Maja Chwalińska, who won the Wuhan Open last week.
Read our report on Chwalińska’s Wuhan Open win.
Who will win the WTA Finals 2026? Tell us your pick in the comments.
