As the US Open kicks off, concerns for Elina Svitolina are rising. The Ukrainian tennis star’s persistent foot injury has her fans on edge. In a surprising turn, Svitolina called for a medical timeout in the second set of her first-round match, leaving many worried about her ability to compete at her best in the tournament.

Svitolina, who was leading 5-2 in the second set against Maria Lourdes Carle, called for a medical timeout during her first-round US Open match due to a foot issue. Her pain later extended to such a level that when the physio attended to the foot, which was already bandaged, she seemed immensely troubled.

Foot injury seems persistent for Svitolina, raising worries about its impact on her performance in this crucial match. Last week in Monterrey, she faced similar challenges with her foot, a struggle that seems to be haunting her again at the US Open. The 29-year-old disclosed on social media a few weeks ago that she has been feeling pain in her foot ever since Wimbledon.

Svitolina also withdrew from the Cincinnati Open earlier this month because of a foot ailment. She most recently competed at the Canadian Open, where she lost to Danielle Collins in the Round of 64. It was a race against time for the Ukrainian to get fit for the US Open and she still doesn’t seem to be 100%.

Speaking after pulling out from the Cincinnati Masters, Svitolina said, “I am really disappointed to pull out anywhere but I love the fans in Cincy and love playing in front of them which makes it extra hard but I have to take the medical advice I have been given.” The Ukrainian had reached the quarterfinals of the Citi Open and the semifinals at Wimbledon before that.

Meanwhile, the 2024 US Open is off to a dramatic start as Maria Sakkari was among the first ones to exit the tournament because of injury, as she retired after trailing Wang Yafan 2-6. The unexpected conclusion to the Greek star’s campaign startled both fans and pundits.

Maria Sakkari’s shocking exit from the US Open

In the opening set, Sakkari was unable to maintain her lead; Wang broke the service early on and led 5-1. Sakkari lost the set 6-2 and complained of neck and shoulder pain after that, requesting a long medical break. While she came back after treatment, she was unable to sustain her momentum and decided to end her campaign prior to the second set.

This setback followed a string of disappointments for the Greek star. Sakkari withdrew from the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Masters after losing to Marta Kostyuk in the third round of the Olympics in Paris because of a persistent shoulder ailment.

While Sakkari’s early departure wasn’t a great sight for the fans, other players are also facing similar challenges. Amanda Anisimova struggled with a wrist injury playing against the 7th seed Qinwen Zheng. The American youngster eventually lost the match after winning the first set.

What are your thoughts on these early injury scares at the ongoing US Open? Let us know in the comments below.