Aryna Sabalenka was a noticeable absentee from the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. The World No. 3 arrived at the All England Club full of energy & expectations, even exchanging lighthearted dance videos with Ons Jabeur, but had to pull out at the last minute due to a shoulder injury.
The two-time Grand Slam winner has already announced her unavailability for the Paris Olympics, as she gears up to compete at the Citi Open aiming for a strong return to the hard court later in the summer.
Sabalenka recently took to her Instagram handle to interact with her fans and update the tennis world on her recovery. When asked about how her recovery was going, the Belarusian wrote (via her Instagram Stories):
“My last ultrasound showed that my shoulder has healed, so I got to start playing tennis again this week.”
Sabalenka through her social handle (Image Source: Instagram)
Sabalenka through her social handle (Image Source: Instagram)
The Belarusian also indicated a return to Washington DC when asked about her next appearance. She confirmed her participation in the 2024 Mubadala Citi Open in Washington D.C., which will be her first appearance at the competition since 2017.
Following a strong start to the year with her Australian Open title defense, Aryna Sabalenka’s Grand Slam ambitions for 2024 took a hit after withdrawing from Wimbledon. Despite the struggles, Grand Slam aspirations remain for Sabalenka as she has confirmed her participation in the lead-up events to the US Open. The Belarusian will now be eyeing a powerful return to the US Open, which is set to begin on August 26th and run till the 8th of September.
In addition to her two major single title wins at the Australian Open, Sabalenka also holds two major double titles which include a 2019 US Open win when the Belarusian partnered with Elise Mertens to lift the trophy. The duo also won the 2021 Australian Open Women’s doubles together.
Sabalenka’s last appearance on the hard court was during the finals of the 2023 edition where she was defeated by the then 19-year-old American, Coco Gauff who claimed her maiden title to became the first American teenager to win the US Open since Serena Williams in 1999.