Karolina Muchova 'heartbroken' to withdraw from debut WTA Finals

October 24, 2023

Tennis News, Tennis Tournaments, WTA Tennis Players

Karolina Muchova ‘heartbroken’ to withdraw from debut WTA Finals

Karolina Muchova has revealed that she is unable to play at her first WTA Finals due to injury, with the Czech being replaced by alternate Maria Sakkari.

Muchova had endured an injury-ridden past few seasons, having only played 19 matches in 2022 and began this year ranked outside the top 150.

Despite this, the 27-year-old has managed to produce her best season in 2023, having reached the final of Roland Garros and the Cincinnati Masters, as well as the US Open semi-final.

As a result of this, Muchova has reached a career-high ranking of No.8 and qualified for her debut WTA Finals that are taking place in Cancun.

However, Muchova had not played since reaching the semi-finals in New York, and has now confirmed that a wrist injury has forced her to withdraw from the year-end event in Mexico.

“I am heartbroken to announce that I will miss my first WTA Finals,” said Muchova. “Together with the team and doctors we tried everything till the last moments to resolve my wrist injury. Unfortunately, the time needed for the recovery is longer than we would’ve hoped for and therefore I had to make this unpleasant decision.

“I greatly appreciate the support of all the fans. I will do my best to be back in 2024 and get another chance to be part of the @wtafinals.”

Karolina Muchova - Instagram 2023

Sakkari comes in to replace Muchova, with the two-time semi-finalist sneaking into the WTA Finals for a third consecutive season.

Inside the baseline…

It is such disappointing news for Muchova, who looked to finally be enjoying a season without injuries being the main topic of conversation. Muchova’s potential has always been known since reaching the Wimbledon quarter-finals back in 2019, and she really showcased that this year, being only two games away from becoming a Grand Slam champion in Paris.