Karolina Muchova heartbroken to withdraw from first WTA Finals
Karolina Muchova has revealed she could not play in her first WTA final due to injury, with the Czech replaced by substitute Maria Sakkari.
Muchova had endured injuries in recent seasons, playing just 19 matches in 2022 and starting this year outside the top 150.
Despite this, the 27-year-old managed to have her best season in 2023, reaching the final of Roland Garros and the Cincinnati Masters, as well as the US Open semi final.
With this, Muchova reached career 8th and qualified for her debut. WTA Finals which will take place in Cancun.
However, Muchova has not played since reaching the semi-finals in New York and has now confirmed a wrist injury forced her to withdraw from the year-end event in Mexico.
“I am heartbroken to announce that I will miss my first WTA final,” Muchova said. “With the team and the doctors, we tried everything until the last moments to resolve my wrist injury. Unfortunately, the recovery time is longer than we had hoped and so I have had to make this unpleasant decision.
“I greatly appreciate the support from all the fans. I will do my best to be back in 2024 and have another chance to be part of the @wtafinals.
Sakkari replaces Muchova, the two-time semi-finalist sneaking into the WTA Finals for a third consecutive season.
Inside the baseline…
This is very disappointing news for Muchova, who finally seemed to be enjoying a season without injuries being the main topic of conversation. Muchova’s potential has always been known since she reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 2019, and she has truly demonstrated it this year, just two matches away from becoming a Grand Slam champion in Paris.
READ NEXT – WTA Elite Trophy 2023 preview: When, who is playing and what is the prize money?
Schedule of the 2023 WTA finals
With the WTA Finals set to begin at the end of this week, the full schedule for the singles and doubles events is ready:
Simple
- Aryna Sabalenka
- Iga Swiatek
- Coco Gauff
- Elena Rybakina
- Jessica Pegula
- Ons Jabeur
- Marketa Vondrousova
- Maria Sakkari
Double
- Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff
- Storm Hunter and Élise Mertens
- Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova
- Demi Schuurs and Desirae Krawczyk
- Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara
- Ellen Pérez and Nicole Melichar-Martinez
- Erin Routliffe and Gabriela Dabrowski
- Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva
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