Elina Svitolina Hit By a Knee Injury at Guangzhou Open 2019

World Number three, Elina Svitolina retired from her second-round match at the Guangzhou International Women’s Open 2019 due to right knee pain. The top-seed was playing Marie Bouzkova and after trailing behind by 6-4, 4-3, as her injuries adversities prevailed in the match, the Ukrainian was forced to pull out from her the Chinese event. 

This was her second event after the US Open 2019, where she reached the semifinals. Previously in Zhengzhou, China, she lost to Kristina Mladenovic in a marathon quarterfinal match. After her retirement in Guangzhou, her further course on the WTA track is undecided. 

“Of course it was a really tough match, even if Svitolina wasn’t 100 percent,” Bouzkova said. “She was fighting really hard, as much as she could, as much as her body allowed her to. It was mentally a tricky match for me because I knew in the end she’s not feeling her best. I tried to stay there, stay aggressive, and not give her any easy points.”

Elina Svitolina won her last at WTA Finals 2017 in Singapore. Till date, it remains the biggest title of her career. She has dwelled decently on the Grand Slam courts this year and achieved her personal best results, but she is yet open her title account this year.

The finals lineup is set at Guangzhou International Women’s Open 2019, the third seed Sofia Kenin will be taking on the 2011 US Open champion, Sam Stosur. The Australian, Stosur is a wild card entrant in Guangzhou.

Meanwhile, at the Japan Open 2019 in Osaka, Angelique Kerber is through to the semifinals after Madison Keys retired from the match due to an injury.

“It was a really good match in the first two sets, and this is never the way that you want to win,” Kerber said. “I hope Madison will recover really soon so she is ready for the next tournaments.”

The top-seed, Naomi Osaka will compete against Yulia Putintseva from Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals. The home favorite, Osaka was defeated Putintseva at Wimbledon 2019’s opening round and before that, she ousted Osaka in Birmingham.