DEFENDING CHAMPION SIMONA Halep has pulled out of Wimbledon with a calf injury.
The Romanian, who produced a stunning display to defeat Serena Williams in the final two years ago, tore her left calf muscle during a match in Rome in May and was forced to miss the French Open.
Halep had looked set to be fit for Wimbledon and travelled to London earlier this week but has reluctantly decided she is not able to compete.
The 29-year-old said on wimbledon.com: “It is with great sadness that I’m announcing my withdrawal from the championships as my calf injury has not fully recovered.”
Halep won her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in 2018 and had been thought of as a player most likely to thrive on slower surfaces prior to her brilliant run at the All-England Club two years ago.
She said: “I gave it everything I had in order to be ready to play Wimbledon and after having such special memories from two years ago, I was excited and honoured to step back on these beautiful courts as defending champion. Unfortunately my body didn’t co-operate and I’ll have to save that feeling for next year.”
World number three Halep is the latest big name to withdraw and joins Naomi Osaka, Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem in missing the Championships. She will be replaced as second seed by Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka.
“I can honestly say that I’m really down and upset about having to take this decision,” continued Halep.
“This period has been difficult but to miss the last two majors has made it even more challenging mentally and physically. We will see what the future holds but I’m hoping it will make me a stronger person and athlete.
“Thank you to everyone at Wimbledon for your understanding and support.”
Got em all right, im off to celebrate by getting a life
Taibi and I got 5/10 , I thought that might give me Paul Jones or ed de goy .. someone middle of the road , not that clown anyway… To sum up , a tad harsh ..
I am Peter schmeicel
Fabian Bartez, “good but not the best” , haha, pretty accurate there!
9/10. Agonised for ages over the Selhurst park question and then chose the wrong one.
That question was one of the only ones I got right lol. Milwall would never share a ground with Palace, would be like a south east WWIII.
Wouldn’t matter who Milwall were sharing a ground with….they’d start a war with anyone…
Tbf to the actual club, they’ve tried to stamp the rough element out of the game. They also do massive work for charities and advocacy to keep vital services at Lewisham Hospital. Having been to the New Den, I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought, I guess it isn’t fair to tarnish the whole club with one brush. But they hate Palace, lol.
I stood in the away section at the old den in New Cross once, it was a cage thankfully cause we were battered with bricks and bottles for the entire game. Scary stuff.
Jaysus. 10/10. But if the quiz was the other way around – e.g. ‘where do the club who used to play at Ayresome Park now play?’ – then I’d be struggling to get two or three. Must really be showing my age.
6/10 with 3 of them guesses
100% I watch/have watched way to much football :L