Australian Open champion and world No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka withdrew from Wimbledon on Monday due to a shoulder injury, as announced by the tournament organizers. The Belarusian player, who has twice reached the semifinals at the All England Club, will be replaced in the draw by Russian lucky loser Erika Andreeva. Andreeva is set to face American qualifier Emina Bektas in the first round.
Sabalenka, 26, had hinted over the weekend that she might need to withdraw after sustaining the injury at the recent Berlin tournament. She acknowledged her condition, saying, "I'm not 100 percent fit now," which raised concerns about her participation in Wimbledon.
When questioned on Saturday about the possibility of pulling out, Sabalenka admitted, "There is always a chance, yeah." She described her shoulder injury as very specific and rare, indicating the complexity of her situation.
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