Iga Świątek has withdrawn from the WTA 500 tournament in Ningbo. In a statement, she said that she has been struggling with a problem in her left thigh for several weeks and prefers to rest.
The Polish player announced the decision on Tuesday, 20 October, in a statement published by the tournament organisers, which was quoted by “Rzeczpospolita”. “After careful consideration, I have decided to withdraw from the tournament,” wrote Świątek.
What Świątek wrote
The tennis player stressed that she has been dealing with a discomfort in her left thigh for several weeks. She felt that rest and recovery were the right decision in this situation. She added that she really wanted to play in Ningbo, thanked the organisers and fans, and said she is looking forward to returning next year. According to available reports, the statement did not give details of the injury, its severity or the expected time out.
No WTA Finals to close the season
According to “Rzeczpospolita”, after withdrawing from Ningbo, Świątek will also not play in this year’s WTA Finals. RMF24 put it the same way, writing that the Polish player has lost her chance to compete in the event. We have not been able to find an official WTA statement on the matter as of publication.
Who takes her place
In the Ningbo draw, Anastasia Zakharova will take Świątek’s place. The Russian had a bye in the first round and will face Czech player Marie Bouzková in the next round. The tournament is ongoing, and on Tuesday in the second round, Jasmine Paolini and Diana Shnaider were among the winners, as reported by the WTA account on X.
Background: Wuhan and Chwalińska
Last week, Świątek competed in the WTA 1000 tournament in Wuhan, where she lost in the semifinals. The title there went to Maja Chwalińska, as we reported in our article about Chwalińska’s first WTA title. According to “Rzeczpospolita”, Chwalińska also withdrew from the Ningbo tournament due to an injury. We previously covered Świątek’s semifinal match when Chwalińska advanced to the semifinals.
What it means
For Polish fans, this means they will not see Świątek on court in Ningbo this week and, according to available information, also at the WTA Finals that close the season. The player says she will return next year. When exactly she will resume competing has not been announced.
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