Sabalenka forced to pull out of Wimbledon with shoulder injury

By Sports Desk July 01, 2024

Aryna Sabalenka has withdrawn from Wimbledon due to a shoulder injury ahead of the first round.

The world number three was due to play Emina Bektas on Monday, but left the practice court early, with the All England Club organisers confirming she would not be participating.

She will now be replaced by Erika Andreeva, who lost to Sonay Kartal in the final round of qualifying.

Sabalenka retired from her Berlin quarter-final in June with the same issue, the first time she has ever done so in a professional match in her career, and later stated she was not "100% fit" or able to serve without pain.

The Belarusian is a two-time Grand Slam winner but has never won at Wimbledon, falling at the semi-final hurdle in both 2021 and 2023.

Sabalenka was looking to put a disappointing clay swing behind her, after suffering final defeats in Madrid and Rome before being knocked out in the quarter-final at the French Open.

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