BERLIN — Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina pulled out of Friday's Berlin WTA tournament while trailing Victoria Azarenka in the quarterfinals.
Rybakina, the third seed, was 1-3 down and visibly struggling in the first set before pulling up at 15-all on her serve.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion also withdrew from Rome last month citing illness before the quarterfinals, just before the French Open.
The 25-year-old Russian-born Kazakh was stunned by Italian Jasmine Paolini in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros.
She will bid to recover for Wimbledon starting July 1, where she lost in the quarterfinals last year to Tunisian Ons Jabeur.
Former No. 1 Azarenka, 34, will play either compatriot Aryna Sabalenka, the second seed, or Russian Anna Kalinskaya in Saturday's semifinal.
Reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova retired injured from her second-round match in the Berlin grass-court event on Thursday against Kalinskaya.
Meanwhile, Tommy Paul ended Jack Draper's seven-match winning run on grass on Friday to reach the semifinals at Queen's, but fourth seed Taylor Fritz crashed out in straight sets.
British No. 1 Draper secured the biggest win of his career when he ended the Queen's Club reign of Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz on Thursday.
But the 22-year-old was outgunned by American fifth seed Paul in the last-eight tie in London, going down 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in a match lasting a shade over two hours.
Draper battled back from a set down, but he was broken to love midway through the decider as the match swung Paul's way.
Defeat ended Draper's winning streak after he lifted his first ATP title in Stuttgart last week.
"I played good tennis, and I like the grass," said Paul, 27. "I knew today was going to be a battle.
"It is never easy against Jack. He has been playing such good tennis, so I am really happy to get through that one."
Paul will face compatriot Sebastian Korda in Saturday's semifinal after the world No. 23 recovered from the loss of the first set to beat Australian wild card Rinky Hijikata, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-4.
Italy's Lorenzo Musetti continued his impressive grass-court season by ending the run of British wild card Billy Harris, 6-3, 7-5, to reach his second consecutive semifinal on the surface.
Musetti, who advanced to the last four in Stuttgart last week, fired 20 winners and committed just six unforced errors.
He is chasing his third tour-level title and will next play Jordan Thompson after the Australian defeated fourth-seed American Taylor Fritz, 6-4, 6-3.
Thompson, who did not face a break point against Fritz, arrived in London on a five-match losing streak.
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