SYDNEY — Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova pulled out of this month’s Australian Open due to a back problem, the Czech said, while Caroline Wozniacki and Karolina Pliskova will also miss the year’s first Grand Slam.
World number 10 Krejcikova, a surprise winner at the All England Club last year, sustained the injury in the WTA Tour’s Asian swing of tournaments and looked to be affected by it at the season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh in November.
“I wanted to share a quick update regarding my withdrawal from the Australian Open,” the Czech tennis star Krejcikova and last year’s Australian Open quarter-finallist said on social media platform X.
The Australian Open runs from Jan. 12-26.
“Unfortunately, my back injury, which troubled me at the end of last season, is still not fully healed.
“It’s disappointing because I love playing in Melbourne and have such great memories from reaching the quarter-finals last year. I’m working hard to get back to full health,” Krejcikova added according to Reuters. “I can’t wait to see you on the court soon.”
Nuria Parrizas Diaz will take Krejcikova’s spot in the draw.
Former Melbourne champion Wozniacki was replaced in the draw by Yuliia Starodubtseva, the Australian Open said. Pliskova will be replaced by Canada’s Rebecca Marino.
A dominant United States lifted their second United Cup mixed team tournament title in three years after they beat Poland 2-0 with Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz both winning their singles matches.
The top seeds in the $10 million tournament that began with 18 nations in contention clinched the trophy when Fritz defeated Hubert Hurkacz 6-4 5-7 7-6(4) after Coco Gauff outclassed Iga Swiatek 6-4 6-4 in Sydney.
The Americans had also won the 2023 title in the inaugural edition of the tournament, which serves as a tune-up event for the Australian Open Grand Slam.
With the second singles contest locked at one set apiece, Fritz raised his level at 3-3 in the tiebreak of the decider to see off Hurkacz and spark huge celebrations.
“Congratulations to Poland on a great week,” said Fritz, addressing a dejected Polish side that finished runners-up at the tournament for a second successive year.
“They’re an incredibly tough team and the margins were very small. I feel that it could have gone either way.
“I want to thank my team, unbelievable support. The vibes all week were amazing. That’s one of the things that makes our team so great and one of the reasons why we’ve been able to do so well.
“We’ve just really come together. It’s amazing.”
Gauff earlier stepped up preparations for the year’s first major that begins next Sunday with a second successive win over world number two Swiatek in a blockbuster showdown that gave fans at the Ken Rosewall Arena their money’s worth.
The world number three, who beat Swiatek en route to the WTA Finals title last season, squandered a 2-0 lead in the first set but battled back from there to gain the upper hand in the match as her opponent counted the costs of 19 unforced errors.
In another high-octane set that followed, Gauff recovered a break to level at 4-4 and went on to secure the win that ensured she ended her singles campaign at the tournament unbeaten.
“I have the belief that I’m one of the best players in the world. When I play good tennis, I’m hard to beat,” said Gauff, who also beat Leylah Fernandez, Donna Vekic, Zhang Shuai and Karolina Muchova in the event.
“I think I played some great tennis. I’m glad I was able to get a point for Team USA. It was tough; I’m not going to lie.”
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