Sabalenka ‘not 100%’ certain for Wimbledon due to ‘rare’ injury

By AFP
June 30, 2024
Belarus Aryna Sabalenka reacts as rain delays the play during the womens singles match against USAs Amanda Anisimova on day eight of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 21, 2024. — AFP File
Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka reacts as rain delays the play during the women's singles match against USA's Amanda Anisimova on day eight of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 21, 2024. — AFP File

LONDON: Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka said Saturday she is “not 100%” certain of playing her first round Wimbledon match due to a “really rare” shoulder injury.

Sabalenka, a two-time semi-finalist at the All England Club, had to quit her quarter-final match against Anna Kalinskaya in Berlin last week due to the problem.

“I´m not 100% fit now,” admitted the 26-year-old Belarusian who is due to face 106th-ranked Emina Bektas of the United States in the first round on Monday.

“We´re doing everything we can with my team to make sure I´ll be able to play my first match here. But, no, I´m not 100% ready.”

When asked if there was a chance she may withdraw on Monday, she said: “There is always a chance, yeah.”

Sabalenka said her doctors had told her that she was “just the second or the third tennis player who injured the (shoulder) muscle”. “It´s really a specific injury, and it´s really a rare one.”