Karolina Muchova says she is ‘heartbroken’ to have to withdraw from this year’s WTA Finals which will get underway next week.
The Czech world No.5 has been forced to pull out of the season-ending showdown due to a wrist injury that she has been struggling with in recent weeks. Muchova hasn’t played a competitive match since losing in the semi-finals of the US Open to Coco Gauff who went on to claim the title.
“I am heartbroken to announce that I will miss my first WTA Finals,” the 27-year-old wrote on Instagram. “Together with the team and doctors we tried everything till the last moments to resolve my wrist injury. Unfortunately, the time needed for the recovery is longer than we would’ve hoped for and therefore I had to make this unpleasant decision.”
Muchova’s withdrawal brings down the curtain on her 2023 season with her standout result being a run to the final of the French Open in what was her best-ever run at a Grand Slam tournament. She was also runner-up at the Cincinnati Open to Gauff. Her overall win-loss record for this year is 38-13 with 28 of those victories being on a hardcourt.
Replacing the injured Muchova in the draw will be Maria Sakkari who has reached the semi-final stage of the event twice before. In September the Greek won the biggest title of her career at the Guadalajara Open which is a WTA 1000 event. However, Sakkari has suffered disappointment in the major events this year where she has won just two matches. Her lowest Grand Slam winning tally in a season since 2016.
This year’s WTA Finals is being held in Cancun, Mexico. It will get underway on October 29th with the group stages. Last year’s champion Caroline Garcia will not be in the draw after failing to qualify.
List of WTA Finals qualifiers (singles only)
1. Aryna Sabalenka
2. Iga Swiatek
3. Coco Gauff
4. Elena Rybakina
5. Jessica Pegula
6. Ons Jabeur
7. Marketa Vondrousova
8. Maria Sakkari (replaces Muchova)
Note: line-up is correct as of 24/10/23
