Aryna Sabalenka pulls out of Wimbledon due to shoulder injury

NEW DELHI: Third seed Aryna Sabalenka withdrew from Wimbledon just before her opening match on Monday due to a shoulder injury, organisers confirmed.

Her absence leaves the women's draw without a leading contender for the title.

Sabalenka, who was scheduled to play against American Emina Bektas, was replaced in the draw by Russian lucky loser Erika Andreeva, reported Reuters.

"I tried everything to get myself ready but unfortunately my shoulder is not cooperating," Sabalenka said on Instagram.

"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," she added.

"This tournament means so much to me and I promise I'll be back stronger than ever next year."

Sabalenka, who had previously suffered a lower back injury earlier this year and battled illness during her quarter-final loss at the French Open to 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva, aggravated the issue during last month's Berlin Open.

Despite her struggles, the Australian Open champion acknowledged on Saturday that she was still not fully recovered heading into Wimbledon, the year's third Grand Slam.

Since capturing her maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2023, the 26-year-old Sabalenka has emerged as one of the most consistent performers in major tournaments.

She reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon last year, in addition to the final of the US Open, and began 2024 by successfully defending her Melbourne crown.