Elena Rybakina faces a “big test” at the WTA Finals after a long spell on the sidelines and a controversial coaching split, according to former world No.1 doubles Rennae Stubbs.

Rybakina he has not played since winning his first-round match at the US Open in late August, withdrawing from his second-round match with a back injury.

The Kazakh then withdrew from the Asian swing due to injury and missed nearly a dozen events in 2024 due to illness or physical problems.

The world number 5 has also been the subject of speculation over former coach Stefano Vukov, who he parted ways with just days before action at the year’s major finals.

Despite her recent setbacks, Rybakina is looking to end her season on a high at the WTA Finals after qualifying for the year-end championships for the second consecutive year.

However, question marks understandably remain over the 25-year-old and what impact she could have on the tournament.

Speaking on Rennae Stubbs Podcastthe Aussie – a five-time major winner – highlighted Rybakina’s indoor credentials but claimed we “don’t know” what level the Kazakh could bring to the court.

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“I don’t know how Elena will do,” he said Stubbs.

“This will be a very big test for her. Who will train her? Who was she there with? We’ll find out in a few days, but it will be interesting.

“Look, she plays really good indoor tennis. The batting is good, but we don’t know how it will be, fitness-wise, match-wise.”

Rybakina has been given a tough group in Riyadh, highlighted by title favorite Aryna Sabalenka, world No.1.

The Kazakh was outscored 6-3 and lost their last meeting at the Madrid Open, although they beat Sabalenka in the international final in Brisbane in January.

She will also face Jasmine Paolini, to whom she lost in the quarter-finals at the French Open, and Zheng Qinwen – one of the form players of the second half of the season.

Rybakina will be hoping to improve on her 2023 showing at the year-end championships, where she failed to get out of the group stage.

Despite a disrupted season, the 25-year-old still managed to win titles in Brisbane, Abu Dhabi and Stuttgart, along with reaching the finals in Doha and Miami and reaching the last four at Wimbledon.

Read on: The 7 women who successfully defended the WTA final title – with Serena Williams, Steffi Graf