WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Aryna Sabalenka, a top contender for Wimbledon, withdrew from the tournament on Monday due to a shoulder injury.
The two-time Australian Open champion, who was seeded third at Wimbledon, was set to face Emina Bektas from the United States in the first round on the tournament’s opening day.
“I’m heartbroken to announce that I won’t be able to compete in The Championships this year. I did everything I could to prepare, but unfortunately, my shoulder isn’t cooperating,” Sabalenka shared on social media. “I pushed myself to the limit in practice today, but my team advised that playing would worsen the injury. This tournament means so much to me, and I promise I’ll come back stronger next year.”
Sabalenka was a favorite to win the women’s championship at Wimbledon, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
Having reached the semifinals at Wimbledon in her last two appearances, Sabalenka was replaced in the draw by Erika Andreeva, who lost in qualifying last week. Andreeva moved into the second round after defeating Bektas 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3.
Just over a week ago, Aryna Sabalenka had to retire during the first set of her quarterfinal match at the Berlin Ladies Open due to shoulder pain.
She described her injury as a muscle issue and expressed her frustration. “The most frustrating part is that I can do many things—I can practice and hit my groundstrokes—but I’m struggling with serving, which is really annoying,” Sabalenka said. “I don’t feel injured in every aspect. I could lift weights without pain, but serving causes discomfort. We’ve done an MRI, extensive rehab, and treatments.”
Sabalenka mentioned on Saturday that she might need to withdraw from Wimbledon, although she remained hopeful. “Despite the various pains I’ve been dealing with over the past months, I still have my hopes,” she said.
The 26-year-old Belarusian briefly held the No. 1 spot in the WTA rankings last season and is currently ranked No. 3, behind Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff. Sabalenka’s game, which relies on powerful serves and forehands, is well-suited for fast surfaces like the Australian Open’s hard courts, where she won titles in 2023 and January, as well as Wimbledon’s grass courts.
She reached the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2021 and last year. However, she was banned from competing in 2022 due to the exclusion of players from Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine.
Sabalenka’s withdrawal from the tournament on Monday, without having played a point, added her to the list of players who withdrew just as the tournament began.
Ekaterina Alexandrova, the No. 22 seed, withdrew due to an unspecified illness shortly before her match against 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu at Centre Court. Alexandrova’s replacement, Renata Zarazua, 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.
