World No. 1 Simona Halep has withdrawn from the Kremlin Cup after failing to fully recover from a back injury, casting further doubt on her participation in next week’s WTA Finals.
Halep had said on Monday that she would be “very doubtful” of competing in the season-ending tournament if the herniated disc injury prevented her from playing in Moscow.
The 27-year-old sustained the injury last month while training for the Wuhan Open, where she lost in the second round. She then retired midway through her opener in Shanghai.
“I really wanted to play here in Moscow, but unfortunately my back is still causing me pain and I don’t want to take any unnecessary risks,” Halep said in a tweet on Tuesday.
“While it’s disappointing to withdraw, I know it’s important to put my health first,” she added.
I really wanted to play here in Moscow, but unfortunately my back is still causing me pain and I don’t want to take any unnecessary risks.
While it’s disappointing to withdraw, I know it’s important to put my health first. I wish the tournament great success 🤗 pic.twitter.com/vqGiclchyD
— Simona Halep (@Simona_Halep) October 16, 2018
The French Open champion, who claimed her maiden Grand Slam title this year, was the first player to qualify for the Oct. 21-28 event in Singapore. Halep will still end the year as world No. 1, regardless of her participation in the WTA Finals.