Defending champion Ons Jabeur pulled out of the Madrid Open because of an injured left calf, hampering her preparation for the French Open next month.
The No. 4-ranked Jabeur, a 28-year-old from Tunisia, stopped playing against No. 1 Iga Swiatek on Saturday while trailing 3-0 in the first set of their semifinal at the clay-court tournament in Stuttgart, Germany.
Jabeur posted what she called "an update on my situation" on her Twitter account Monday, saying that she had "many medical exams" that revealed a “small tear” in her calf.
“I will need more time to recover,” she said, adding: "I am sad to announce that I won't be able to compete" in Madrid.
Main draw action at the Madrid Open starts on Tuesday. Jabeur is the latest high-profile player to withdraw, joining 22-time Grand Slam champions Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Jabeur was the runner-up at two Grand Slam tournaments in 2022: Wimbledon and the US Open.
She came into the French Open last year as one of the title favorites after success on red clay — including the title in Madrid — but lost in the first round at Roland Garros.
Play begins in Paris on May 28.
(Published 25 April 2023, 04:58 IST)
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