Emma Raducanu and Elena Rybakina retired down 1-4 to Taylor Towsend and Shuai Zhang this evening in the Mubadala Citi Open ladies’ doubles semifinal.
Emma Raducanu And Elena Rybakina Doubles Was Fun While It Lasted
I’m in love with this Elena Rybakina and Emma Raducanu duo 🙂↔️❤️ pic.twitter.com/Hl9zX51GtR
— NickAlly (@nick_ally1986) July 21, 2025
This was unfortunate but not surprising. Both Raducanu and Rybakina won singles quarterfinal matches earlier in the day. Raducanu played in the hottest part of the day. This duo affectionately named “Rybacanu” was fun to watch this week.
Elena Rybakina and Emma Raducanu retire from their doubles SF against Townsend & Zhang in Washington.
Not super surprising, considering both are still in the SF of singles & Emma had a tough match in the heat today.
It was a fun ride, Rybacanu. ❤️
🇰🇿🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/Jz7JFAluA0
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 26, 2025
Emma Raducanu and Elena Rybakina retire at 1-4 down vs Taylor Townsend & Shuai Zhang in set 1.
Looked like Raducanu couldn’t continue due to illness. pic.twitter.com/hanAqhIuia
— edgeAI (@edgeAIapp) July 26, 2025
Indications were that Raducanu was not feeling well which hopefully does not impact her semifinal match with Anna Kalinskaya slated for Saturday. Rybakina will take on Leylah Fernandez also on Saturday. Emma Raducanu and Anna Kalinskaya have never played each other. Rybakina and Fernandez split their two previous meetings, both on hardcourts in 2024. “Rybacanu” could end up meeting in the final if both women win their semifinal matches.
The other big story to emerge from this match is that Taylor Townsend will take over the World No. 1 ranking in doubles on Monday. She advances to the final with Shuai Zhang whom she has never played with before. Townsend will play against her American compatriots: Sofia Kenin and Caroline Dolehide.
Townsend/Zhang advance to the @mubadalacitidc Finals with a 4-1 RET victory over Raducanu/Rybakina
As a result, Taylor Townsend is guaranteed to be NO. 1 in Doubles on Monday
Huge achievement for the two time Major Doubles Champion! pic.twitter.com/2EhcDKmbqS
— TennisONE App (@TennisONEApp) July 26, 2025
A US woman or women are guaranteed a doubles title in Washington, DC for the second straight year.
For those who want to critique Raducanu or Rybakina for the retirement, it is a bit unfair. The schedule and weather did them no favors with late starts, rain, and intense heat today. Both need to preserve their bodies for their upcoming singles matches and the US hardcourt series that continues next week with the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal. All four semifinalists are as of now still slated to play in Montreal.
The women’s doubles final will take place on Saturday, July 26 at a time yet to be determined, and the women’s singles final will occur on Sunday, July 27. Watch all of the Mubadala Citi Open semifinal and final matches on the Tennis Channel or stream them on the Tennis Channel app.
