Iga Swiatek is facing a likely absence from the season-ending WTA Finals after withdrawing from the Ningbo Open in China on Tuesday due to a persistent thigh injury.

The six-time Grand Slam champion, who has competed at every edition of the WTA Finals since 2021 and lifted the trophy in 2023, needed to reach at least the quarter-finals in Ningbo to retain any chance of overtaking Czech star Karolina Muchova for the final qualifying spot.

Swiatek’s withdrawal comes after she struggled with the injury during her 7-5, 6-1 defeat to compatriot Maja Chwalinska in the semi-finals of the Wuhan Open last week.

The Polish star has endured a challenging season, winning just one tournament and failing to progress beyond the quarter-finals at any of the four Grand Slam events.

“After careful consideration, I’ve decided to withdraw from the tournament,” the 25-year-old announced in a statement shared on the Ningbo Open’s social media channels.

“I’ve been experiencing an ongoing problem with my left thigh over the past weeks and I feel that giving myself the time to rest and recover is the right decision.”

Meanwhile, Muchova, who is not participating in the WTA 500 event in China, remains vulnerable in the race for qualification. Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk still has an opportunity to overtake her, but she will need to make up an 815-point deficit across the Ningbo Open and next week’s Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.

The WTA Finals, scheduled for November 8-15 in Indian Wells, California, now appear beyond Swiatek’s reach as a direct qualifier. However, the former world number one could still attend the prestigious season-ending tournament as one of two designated alternates, depending on the final qualification standings and player availability.