ZCZC
BSP-08
TENNIS-WTA-NZL
Ongoing injury forces Andreescu out of Australian Open warm up
WELLINGTON, Dec 24, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – US Open champion Bianca Andreescu on
Tuesday pulled out of her Australian Open warm-up tournament, the Auckland
WTA Classic, as she continues to be plagued by a knee injury.
The Canadian 19-year-old sensation, who rocketed through the rankings from
152 to number five in the world this year and referred to 2019 as her
“Cinderella story”, was billed as the top-seed in Auckland.
But she has been forced out by “ongoing knee issues”, tournament
organisers said in a brief statement with no mention on whether her start in
the Australian Open was also in jeopardy.
Andreescu won three prestigious titles this year — Indian Wells, Toronto
and at the US Open — before her season was cut short by injury.
She spent nearly seven weeks off the court after her knee gave way during
the WTA Finals in Shenzhen in early November, but told reporters earlier this
month she did not need surgery and was “just trying to rehab as much as
possible and stay as positive as I can.”
Serena Williams will now become the top seed in the Auckland tournament
which starts on January 6.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1006 hrs