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Berlin Open: Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur latest Wimbledon contenders to suffer injury and illness worries – BBC Sport

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Berlin Open: Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur latest Wimbledon contenders to suffer injury and illness worries – BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Sabalenka (left) and Jabeur are among the women’s singles title contenders at Wimbledon

Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur became the latest Wimbledon contenders to retire early from matches in the lead up to the Grand Slam tournament.

World number three Sabalenka appeared to struggle with a shoulder injury and retired while trailing 5-1 in her Berlin Open quarter-final against Anna Kalinskaya.

Two-time Wimbledon finalist Jabeur decided not to continue because of illness after dropping the first set 7-6 (11-9) to Coco Gauff.

Reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova and 2022 winner Elena Rybakina also retired from their matches earlier in the tournament.

The first round of the women’s singles at Wimbledon starts on 1 July.

Jabeur saved eight set points against Gauff before the American top seed clinched the opener.

The Tunisian, who appeared to be having problems breathing, was seen by the doctor before deciding not to start the second set.

“It doesn’t feel like a win. We had such a good first set,” Gauff said in her on-court interview afterwards.

“I wish Ons the best, I think it’s something that is just going to happen today and she’ll be better tomorrow, so hopefully she’ll be at Wimbledon.”

Earlier in the week, Czech Vondrousova slipped and injured her right hip against Kalinskaya in the second round, while Rybakina withdrew from her last-eight tie against Victoria Azarenka because of illness.

Kalinskaya books spot in Berlin final

Kalinskaya was the first player to claim a place in Sunday’s final with a 6-1 6-7 (3-7) 6-1 win against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.

The Russian, who has a 7-0 win record against top-10 players this season, will face either top seed Gauff or Jessica Pegula next.

The semi-final between the two Americans was suspended mid-match because of rain, with Pegula taking the opener 7-5 and leading the second-set tie-break 3-1.

Earlier on Saturday, fourth seed Pegula returned to complete a 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-3 victory over Katerina Siniakova after the match, which had started on Friday, was held up by the weather in Germany.

At the Birmingham Classic, Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic beat Anastasia Potapova of Russia 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 to reach her first WTA Tour final in five years.

Two-time Wimbledon quarter-finalist Tomljanovic has dropped to 190th in the world rankings after an injury-plagued 2023.

She will face Yulia Putintseva in the final after the Kazakh overcame Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-2 6-2.

Tomljanovic has yet to win a singles title on the WTA Tour, while Putintseva is searching for her third overall and first on grass.

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