Two-time Grand Slam champions Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka have withdrawn from Wimbledon due to shoulder injuries.
The Belarusian, who was third seed and set to face Emina Bektas on Court No 1 on Monday, was replaced in the draw by lucky loser Erika Andreeva.
Sabalenka, who suffered a lower back injury this year and struggled with illness at the French Open, sustained the injury during last month’s Berlin Open.
Azarenka, also from Belarus and also a two-time Grand Slam winner, withdrew later on Monday as organisers confirmed she also had a shoulder injury. France’s Elsa Jacquemot has replaced her.
Speaking on social media, Sabalenka said: “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 co-operating. This tournament means so much to me and I promise I’ll be back stronger than ever next year.”
Sabalenka was a semi-finalist at the All England Club each of the last two times she appeared there. A little more than a week ago, Sabalenka stopped playing during the first set of her quarter-final at the Berlin Ladies Open, citing pain in her shoulder.
She said she had a muscle injury that she called “very frustrating”.
Sabalenka reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon on her last two appearances
“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,” Sabalenka said.
“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.”
Sabalenka had said on Saturday there was a chance she would need to pull out of Wimbledon.
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