Aryna Sabalenka withdraws from Stuttgart due to injury suffered after Sunshine Double
The world No. 1, a four-time runner-up in Stuttgart, didn't specify the injury, saying only that she sustained it after beating Coco Gauff in the Miami Open final last month.
Aryna Sabalenka's long-awaited quest to win the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix will have to wait another year. The world No. 1 has pulled out of next week's clay-court event in Stuttgart citing an unspecified injury.
Sabalenka did not disclose the nature of the injury in announcing her withdrawal on Thursday, but said that she suffered it following her victory at the Miami Open. With a 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 win over Coco Gauff in the final on March 28, the world No. 1 became the fifth woman in the Open Era to win Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back.
A four-time finalist in Stuttgart, Sabalenka said she was "very sad" to miss the loaded WTA 500 event in a statement posted to her Instagram story on Thursday.
"I always love coming back to Stuttgart. The atmosphere, the fans, and the support I feel there are so special to me," she wrote. "And of course, I was really hoping to have another chance to fight for that Porsche."
"Even though I tried everything to recover in time, I'm not ready to compete," she added. "I'm really sorry to miss this amazing tournament. Wishing everyone a great week in Stuttgart, and I hope to see you all again very soon."
World No. 2 Elena Rybakina, herself a former tournament champion in 2022, will now top the still-loaded field, which also includes Top 10 players Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Jasmine Paolini, Elina Svitolina and Mirra Andreeva.
Jelena Ostapenko is the defending champion, with the Latvian having defeated Sabalenka 6-4, 6-1 in last year's final.