World No.5 Karolina Pliskova confirmed she has withdrawn from the WTA tournament in Prague, which began Monday due to health concerns.
Pliskova has been one of the best players in the first four months of the season, scoring 21 wins on the Tour to top the standings with Petra Kvitova and Belinda Bencic, also standing third in the WTA Race.
“I have been suffering from pain for a month, I cannot train. I was eagerly awaiting the tournament and the amateurs in Prague, I did my best to get over but the doctors told me a no “resolved”. Pliskova added.
The Czech revealed she was unable to train at full speed since Miami and that she almost withdrew from Stuttgart as well, still opting to play and delivering a great performance against Azarenka considering her current shape.
Pliskova continued her season regularly but she was never at her 100%, feeling ill in Ostrava and struggling to find ‘A game’ in Dubai and Indian Wells despite reaching the quarters. Unwilling to slow down.
“The results of his blood tests are still not good. There is a virus circulating in his body and nobody can eliminate,” Petra Cernoskova, the director of the tournament said on Monday in front of the press.
Victoria Azarenka, right, greets Karolina Pliskova after a Miami Open. (Source:www.zimbio.com)
Sacred this year in Brisbane, the 27-year-old Czech was beaten last week by Victoria Azarenka in straight sets 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, in the second round of the Stuttgart tournament.
“On Tuesday, I was determined to opt out of the Stuttgart tournament, but in the end I tried to play. In fact, I expected the performance to be much worse.” Pliskova said, who was briefly in the top of the WTA rankings in 2017.
Pliskova was the semi-finalist in Madrid a year ago, losing early in Rome before the third round appearance at Roland Garros, winning just three games against Maria Sharapova.
