Aryna Sabalenka comes into Wimbledon this year as one of the outstanding favourites to enjoy a deep run and potentially even win the competition.
After all, her game is hugely conducive to grass-court tennis, and other than Iga Swiatek in recent months, few have troubled the Belarusian.
However, we did know that she was coming into the event with an existing shoulder injury, so expected that some form of discomfort might be an inevitability to see her through.
Now, it seems that her worst fears could well have been realised in a pre-tournament practice session.
Worrying update emerges from Aryna Sabalenka practice
Speaking about the issue, Sabalenka noted just last week: ‘It’s really a specific injury, and it’s really a rare one. Probably I’m just the second or the third tennis player who injured that muscle. [It’s] a very frustrating one.
‘The most annoying thing is that I can do anything. I can practice, I can hit my groundstrokes. I’m struggling with serving. That’s really annoying.’
Expectations were therefore lowered, but seeing her laughing and joking with Ons Jabeur offered some relief that suggested things would be good enough to ease her into the event.
Well, the latest from journalist Stuart Fraser had painted a devastating picture of her chances of playing, as he has just wrote on X: ‘Aryna Sabalenka just left the practice court rather abruptly. The shoulder not looking in good shape ahead of her first round match later this afternoon.’
Then, fellow reporter James Gray confirmed the woeful news: ‘No 3 seed Aryna Sabalenka pulls out of #Wimbledon with shoulder injury. Did say over the weekend there was “always a chance” she might pull out.’
One of the Wimbledon favourites is now out
With Chris Evert outlining her fears for Sabalenka back at Roland Garros, as illness saw her beaten by Mirra Andreeva with a whimper, it seems that she just cannot catch a break at the moment.
In between Grand Slams, she is a constant threat, and almost always pummels everyone in her way to reach the latter stages of big competitions.
However, having officially dropped out, or even carried on and played with heavy restrictions, it would have been the second straight major where the 26-year-old is hampered.
Sabalenka, as aforementioned, has the perfect game to thrive at Wimbledon, and it is just so cruel to see her opportunity to thrive stolen away, especially with how wide-open the draw remains.
Whilst devastating, we hope that this unique ailment is not serious, and pulling her out of the tournament is just a precautionary measure to have her ready to fight after the event is over.
Next year she will be back, ready to take her chance to fight for the title that has now been stolen away from her.
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