Marketa Vondrousova Withdraws from Paris Olympics Due to Injury

Marketa Vondrousova, the 2021 Wimbledon champion, has withdrawn from the upcoming Paris Olympics due to a hand injury. The Czech left-hander announced her decision on social media, expressing her disappointment but prioritizing her recovery for the US Open.

Vondrousova's withdrawal is a significant blow to the Czech team, as she was expected to play both singles and doubles. She was set to partner with Karolina Muchova in doubles, but her place will now be taken by Katerina Siniakova. Linda Noskova will join Muchova in the doubles competition.

In her Olympic debut in Tokyo, Vondrousova made a remarkable run to the silver medal. She defeated then-world No. 2 Naomi Osaka and other top players en route to the gold-medal match, where she lost to Belinda Bencic.

Vondrousova's withdrawal means that two of the three medalists from the Tokyo Olympics will not be competing in Paris. Bencic is on maternity leave after giving birth to her daughter in April, while bronze medalist Elina Svitolina remains in the field.

Vondrousova's injury woes have been a recurring issue throughout her career. She suffered a hip injury in a slip and fall at the pre-Wimbledon event in Berlin, which hampered her title defense at the All England Club. She lost in the first round to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, becoming only the second woman in the Open Era to lose in the first round of Wimbledon after winning the title the previous year.

As a result of her early exit at Wimbledon, Vondrousova dropped from No. 6 to No. 18 in the WTA rankings. She will now focus on recovering from her hand injury and preparing for the US Open, which begins in five weeks.

Tags: #MarketaVondrousova, #ParisOlympics, #Tennis, #Injury, #CzechRepublic