Wimbledon favorite Aryna Sabalenka has withdrawn from the prestigious tournament due to a shoulder injury. The two-time Australian Open champion, who was seeded third at the All England Club, was slated to face Emina Bektas of the United States in the first round.
Sabalenka’s Heartfelt Announcement
On social media, Sabalenka shared her disappointment: “Heartbroken to have to tell you all that I won’t be able to play The Championships this year. I tried everything to get myself ready but unfortunately my shoulder is not cooperating. I pushed myself to the limit in practice today to try my best, but my team explained that playing would only make things much worse. This tournament means so much to me and I promise I’ll be back stronger than ever next year.”
Replacement and Tournament Impact
According to BetMGM Sportsbook, Sabalenka was a favorite to win the women’s championship at Wimbledon. A semifinalist at the All England Club in her last two appearances, she was replaced in the draw by Erika Andreeva, who lost in qualifying last week. Andreeva progressed to the second round with a 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3 win over Bektas.
Recent Injury Struggles
Sabalenka’s shoulder issues first emerged more than a week ago when she retired from her quarterfinal match at the Berlin Ladies Open due to shoulder pain. She described the muscle injury as “very frustrating,” stating, “The most annoying thing is that I can do anything. I can practice; I can hit my groundstrokes. I’m struggling with serving. That’s really annoying. You don’t feel like you’re injured. If you give me some weights, I’m going to go lift some weights. But if you tell me to serve, I’m going to go through pain. We did an MRI, we did everything. We did a lot of rehab, a lot of treatments and everything.”
Read also:- Phoenix Suns Eye Bronny James in 2024 NBA Draft
Hopes and Setbacks
On Saturday, Sabalenka indicated that she might need to pull out of Wimbledon but held onto hope: “As someone who has been fighting through a lot of different pains in the past months, I still have my hopes.” The 26-year-old Belarusian, who briefly reached No. 1 in the WTA rankings last season and is currently ranked No. 3 behind Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, faced a significant setback with her withdrawal.
Sabalenka’s Powerful Game
Sabalenka’s game, built on powerful serves and a strong forehand, is particularly effective on faster surfaces like the hard courts of the Australian Open and the grass of Wimbledon. She reached the final four at Wimbledon last year and in 2021. However, she was not allowed to compete in 2022 due to the ban on players from Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine.
Wimbledon Withdrawals
Sabalenka’s withdrawal was among several notable pullouts as Wimbledon began. Ekaterina Alexandrova, the No. 22 seed, withdrew due to an unspecified illness before her match against 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu. Alexandrova was replaced by Renata Zarazua, who lost to Raducanu 7-6 (0), 6-3. Victoria Azarenka, another two-time Australian Open champion and former No. 1, also withdrew due to a shoulder injury. Her replacement, Elsa Jacquemot, was defeated 6-3, 6-3 by 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens.
Sabalenka’s absence is a significant loss for Wimbledon, but her commitment to returning stronger promises an exciting future for her fans and the tennis world.