World number three
Elena Rybakina has retired from the Berlin
Ladie Open after going in the quarterfinal against
Victoria Azarenka. The competition is moving towards the business end where different
players are participating to ensure some practice ahead of the third Grand Slam
of the year.
Wimbledon 2024 will begin from the first of July where
players from all over the glob will battle to secure the ultimate prize. On Friday, Rybakina and Azarenka were set to face off in
what was anticipated to be a mouthwatering quarterfinal clash.
However, the contest lasted just 15 minutes as Rybakina was
forced to withdraw after the fourth game in the first set because of a fitness
concern. Azarenka was leading 3-1 when the game was called off.
The result was a bad one for Rybakina who was coming into
the competition on the back of a rather unimpressive outing in the recently concluded
French Open where she was knocked out after losing in the quarterfinal to
Jasmine Paolini with a score of 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.
It is not the first time when the Moscow-born star has
struggled with fitness concern this season. Earlier she withdrew before the
start of her first outing in the Indian Wells where her opponent was Nadia Podoroska.
After that, the current world number four also withdrew from the Rome Open
before her second-round clash against Irina-Camelia Begu.
With Rybakina's withdrawal, Victoria Azarenka booked her place in the semifinals of a competition for the second time in 2024.
On the other hand, the result was a great one for Azarenka
who managed to only secure a place in the semifinal of an event for the second
time this season. Previously, she played in the last-four clash of the Miami
Open where she was knocked out after losing to Rybakina with a score of 6-4,
0-6, 7-6.
Azarenka came into the competition after a disappointing outing in the French Open, where she was knocked out after losing in the second
round to Mirra Andreeva with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.