After a year of heartbreak at the Grand Slams, Aryna Sabalenka once again cemented herself as the No. 1 player in the world with a triumphant victory at the US Open. With that win, Sabalenka secured her fourth major title and her second consecutive crown in New York while taking a big lead in the race to finish in the top spot in the rankings once again.
Now, the Belarusian superstar is taking some time off. On Tuesday, she officially withdrew from the China Open, a WTA 1000 event in Beijing slated to get underway on Sept. 25.
“Hello everyone, due to an injury sustained during the US Open and the ongoing recovery process, I regretfully announce that I will withdraw from this year's China Open,” Sabalenka said in a statement. “I will focus on my recovery and strive to return to 100% condition as soon as possible. I can't wait to see my fans in China! I look forward to returning to Beijing next year and wish you all the best for the tournament.”
Sabalenka has never reached the final in Beijing, where American star Coco Gauff will defend her title from last fall. She is still slated to play the WTA 1000 tournament in Wuhan, where she has lifted the trophy three times. That is likely to be her last event before the WTA Finals in Riyadh at the start of November.
This withdrawal could have a big impact on the race for the year-end No. 1, despite Sabalenka currently holding a massive lead after winning in the Big Apple. She currently leads Iga Swiatek by nearly 2,100 points, but the Wimbledon champion has a chance to gain up to 1,500 points in Seoul and Beijing while Sabalenka is sidelined. That would tighten the race significantly before Sabalenka returns to court in Wuhan for the home stretch.
Swiatek has had plenty of success in Beijing in her career, winning the title in 2023, so she will have a chance to make up a lot of those points. If she is able to close the gap, it would set up for plenty of drama at the WTA Finals to end what has been a spectacular season in women's tennis.
