Holder Jabeur withdraws from Madrid Open with calf injury

[April 25, 2023]  (Reuters) - Defending champion Ons Jabeur said on Monday she had withdrawn from the Madrid Open with a calf injury after retiring from the Stuttgart Open at the weekend.  

The Tunisian world number four retired after three games against Iga Swiatek in the Stuttgart Open semi-final, where she was injured during the last point of the first game on Saturday.

Tennis - WTA 500 - Stuttgart Open - Porsche Arena, Stuttgart, Germany - April 22, 2023 Tunisia's Ons Jabeur in action during her semi final match against Poland's Iga Swiatek REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth/File Photo

"Further to many medical exams done, it shows that I have a small tear in my calf and I will need more time to recover," the 28-year-old Jabeur said on Instagram.

"I'm sad to announce that I won't be able to compete and defend my title this year at the Madrid Open. I would like to wish everyone and the tournament a great event."

Jabeur, who was on a seven-match winning run after recovering from injury and surgery earlier this year, was to face Romania's Ana Bogdan or Hungary's Anna Bondar in the second round of the clay tournament in Madrid.

The Madrid Open will be played from Tuesday through May 7.

(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Ken Ferris)

[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.