"I know how badly this must hurt for her": Aryna Sabalenka sends heartfelt message after Vondrousova's US Open withdrawal

Aryna Sabalenka sent a message of support to her colleague Marketa Vondrousova following the Czech's withdrawal before their US Open match. The two Grand Slam champions were expected to face off on Tuesday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium for the quarterfinals, but Marketa Vondrousova could not appear for the match due to an injury.

It would have been the 10th duel between them. The world No. 1 leads the head-to-head 5-4, with two encounters in the last two months alone. Back in June, Marketa Vondrousova defeated Sabalenka in the semifinals of the Berlin Ladies Open, while the Belarusian got revenge just three weeks ago in the second round of the Cincinnati Open.

A spectacular match was expected to kick off the night session at Flushing Meadows, but reports a few hours earlier indicated that Marketa Vondrousova had not appeared for her warm-up. Shortly after, the organization confirmed the news: the 27-year-old Czech suffered a knee injury that prevented her from taking the court, and Sabalenka got the ticket to the US Open semifinals.

"So sorry for Marketa after all she’s been through,” the three-time major champion posted on her social media. “She has been playing amazing tennis and I know how badly this must hurt for her. Take care of yourself and I hope you can recover quickly. Love Aryna,” the defending champion concluded her statement.

Marketa Vondrousova was one of the surprise stories in the quarterfinals. The Czech's talent is undeniable, but she hadn't played many tournaments this year and came into the US Open as the world No. 60. However, she showed that when she is physically well, her talent is intact.

After getting past the little-known Oksana Selekhmeteva in the first round, she defeated three seeded players in a row: the 32nd seed McCartney Kessler (7-6, 6-2), the 7th seed Jasmine Paolini (7-6, 6-1), and the 9th seed Elena Rybakina (6-4, 5-7, 6-2). With her last two wins against top-10 players, Vondroušová proved she had what it takes to dream big. Against Sabalenka, she had a real chance to advance to the third Grand Slam semifinal of her career.

However, the injury once again frustrates Marketa Vondrousova's ambitions. She has already been absent from the Tour for long periods due to injuries. She missed a large part of the 2022 season due to surgery and had to go under the knife again at the end of 2024.

“It breaks my heart that I can’t step on court today at the US Open because of the injury I picked up in my last match,” she said, recalling her battle against Rybakina. “This place is so special to me – exactly one year ago I was in surgery; not even sure if I would ever return. Being back here, competing again and enjoying such beautiful matches has meant more than words can say. Thankful for all the love and support.”

The three-time major champion might benefit from not having to play her quarterfinal match, especially in a long tournament. Still, she hasn't spent much time on court, not even conceding a set in her victories over Rebeka Masarova, Polina Kudermetova, Leylah Fernandez (31st seed), and Cristina Bucsa.

By reaching the quarterfinals, Sabalenka secured her spot as the world No. 1 after the tournament. Marketa Vondrousova's injury ensures Sabalenka's presence in a major semifinal for the 13th time in her career. In fact, she has reached at least the semifinals in 11 of her last 12 appearances in major tournaments.

For a spot in the final, she will face none other than Jessica Pegula in a rematch of the 2024 final. The Belarusian leads the head-to-head 7-2 (2-0 in Grand Slam tournaments). Pegula comes in after eliminating two-time major champion Barbora Krejcikova and will be looking to return to the US Open final for the second consecutive year.