Karolina Muchova has been out for nearly a year with an injury sustained at the 2023 US Open, but it seems that the bad luck continues as she has been forced to withdraw from her Quarter-Final match at the
Eastbourne International.
The reason being due to the right wrist injury which has blighted her since last year and has seen the Roland Garros finalist make multiple attempts to return to the sport which have failed. She finally saw some light at the end of the tunnel which was the grass court season.
Heading into Eastbourne International which was earmarked for her return, she initially didn't play with Elina Avanesyan withdrawing only a few games into their tie ironically given that for Muchova, she had spent most of the last year injured. But she finally got a match in defeating Magda Linette.
She showed the same deft touch which saw her propel into a major contender for Grand Slams backing up a Roland Garros final with a US Open semi-final run losing to eventual champion Coco Gauff. She had earned her place for the WTA Finals, but despite her best efforts couldn't play. She skipped all lead tournaments during the Australian summer and underwent surgery in February 2024 in a bid to return.
She was seen back hitting again during the clay court season with grass seemingly in mind and it is yet more bad news for Muchova. Whether this now keeps her out of Wimbledon remains to be seen, but given that it is the same wrist she had surgery on it does not look great.
"It's been a while and I know it's tough to just jump on it and be back," Muchova said earlier this week to WTA Insider. "I can't expect myself to have the level that I had last year. I wish, but I think I'll need a few matches and some time to get on it again. But now practicing a few days with others, it was not so bad. I could keep up. It was not like I was losing everything.
"I hope I'll bring the good tennis again and that I can, yeah, make some mess at the top again."