Victoria Azarenka Retires From French Open With Right Knee Injury

by Tom Gainey | May 24th, 2016, 5:59 pm
  • 3 Comments

For the third time in her career, Victoria Azarenka was unable to complete a Grand Slam match. Among the favorites to threaten Serena Williams, Azarenka’s French Open bid was cut short today by a knee injury during her match with Italian Karin Knapp.

Azarenka injured the knee early on, then played through it as the knee allowed. Some points she was fine, others it appeared to lock up. Frustrated and in tears, she eventually retired to the No. 118 Knapp 63, 67, 40 ret.

“Heading into the match today I was feeling fine. I was ready to play,” Azarenka said in a statement after the match. “But I started to feel a sharp pain in my right knee. I’ve had an injury there before, a while ago, but it hasn’t been a problem until today. At first it was on and off and I was able to win the tie-break, but then it got worse as the match went on, and unfortunately there was nothing i could do.


“I haven’t made any plans yet for the days ahead, but will have treatment and can only look forward to playing Roland Garros next year.”

Azarenka, who battled a back injury earlier this clay season, had also retired previously from the 2009 Australian Open due to the heat and the 2010 US Open when she was suffering from a mild concussion. She was projected to play Serena in the quarterfinals.


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3 Comments for Victoria Azarenka Retires From French Open With Right Knee Injury

DRankin Says:

Banking on Viki always to beat the williams one


Tennis Vagabond Says:

Wow, Serena’s tough draw just got a lot easier. And we can all turn the volume back on.


Izak Walz Says:

At first I was admittedly very upset about Vika’s retirement from the French Open because she was my overall favorite to win the French Open and it nearly caused me to lose any prior interest in tuning into it any further. However, I believe there’s at least three additional favorite player’s of mine that are currently still in contention to win it and they’re Kvitova, Muguruza, and Ivanovic but I’d place my money on Kvitova if she continues to improve moving forward into the third round and beyond even though she’s had an sub par year as far as results but the majority of her dismal performances aren’t her fault but her continuous battles against illnesses and injuries have taken their toll on her whole entire career up until this present time.

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