Two of the highest seeds at the 2024 WTA Brisbane International have withdrawn from Queensland’s new season’s opening tournament.
The two players are World No. 8 Karolina Muchova and World No. 12 Madison Keys. Reasons for their absence have not been disclosed, but Muchova’s wrist injury is well documented, and it appears she hasn’t recovered in time to play in Brisbane.
This is a setback for Muchova on the back of a career-best year on the WTA tour. She played 51 matches in 2023, the most she has managed in a calendar year since 2019. It was the first time in a long while that 27-year-old managed to keep her health in check.
But that persistence and sheer effort have come at the expense of her body again as she injured her wrist at the US Open, where she made the semis and lost to eventual champion Coco Gauff.
Muchova tried all rehabilitation procedures to make it to the WTA Finals, where she qualified for the first time. Sadly, the Mexican fans were denied the chance to witness one of the craftiest women on tour because of injury.
The Czech’s last update regarding her injury was on November 20, when she shared a photo dump on her Instagram account and could be seen on a hospital bed with strapping on her wrist.
“I’m alive photo dump alert! Big thanks for all your messages! I took a little break to power up and focus on my wrist recovery, spent time with loved one and ofc kept up with training. Looks like bright tomorrows are ahead and can’t wait to see you all in the stands again!”
If Muchova misses Brisbane, her participation at the Australian Open will be severely doubtful. The same could be said for Madison Keys. The former US Open finalist had to forfeit her place on the USA’s Billie Jean King Cup team last month due to fatigue.
Unlike Muchova, Keys has no reported injury concerns ahead of the new season and might play in Adelaide. The two players have been replaced in the main draw in Brisbane by Tamara Korpatsch and Diana Shnaider.
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