Aryna Sabalenka issues update after blowing Wimbledon draw wide open
Aryna Sabalenka pulled out of Wimbledon before her first-round match.
Aryna Sabalenka has thanked her fans for their support and vowed to come back "stronger than ever" after her withdrawal from Wimbledon blew the draw wide open.
The number three seed was due to play American Emina Bektas in the first round, but pulled out of the tournament with a shoulder injury that had been plaguing the third seed building up to SW19.
"Just want to say thank you so much for all the support I received in the last few days," she wrote on Instagram. "It really means a lot to me! I'll get back stronger than ever! Now time to do lots of rehab, heal and start over again!"
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Sabalenka was one of the favourites to win the title, having reached the semi-finals in each of her last two visits. She was replaced by lucky loser Erika Andreeva, who beat Bektas, setting up a second-round clash with Donna Vekic and earning at least £93,000 in the process.
Sabalenka pulled out of Wimbledon after practising, rather than before the draw, ensuring that the second half of the bracket became significantly more lop-sided without the Belarusian and also Victoria Azarenka. Both pulled out due to shoulder injuries.
Two-time Australian Open winner Sabalenka admitted she was "heartbroken" to have been forced to withdraw as a result of her unusual injury, having arrived in England wary of whether she would be able to participate.
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"Heartbroken to have to tell you all that I won’t be able to play The Championships this year," she wrote on Twitter after withdrawing. "I tried everything to get myself ready but unfortunately my shoulder is not cooperating. This tournament means so much to me and I promise I’ll be back stronger than ever next year."
The last seven years of Wimbledon have given seven different women's champions and many will be full of belief that record can continue, without a contender such as Sabalenka involved and world No. 1 Iga Swiatek's preference for other surfaces.
Number two seed Coco Gauff will be confident about going beyond the fourth time at SW19 for the first time in her career, having won the US Open last year.
While Brits Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter have come into the tournament in encouraging form and could ride the crest of a wave, with home fans' support, all the way to a Grand Slam title, amongst a host of possibilities without a top favourite such as Sabalenka in play.
