Marketa Vondrousova suffers injury in Berlin ahead of Wimbledon title defence
The Czech fell at the back of the court during her second-round match against Anna Kalinskaya.
Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova suffered an injury scare ahead of the tournament when she was forced to retire in Berlin.
The Czech, a surprise winner of her first grand slam title last summer, sustained a nasty fall behind the baseline during her second-round match against Anna Kalinskaya at the ecotrans Ladies Open.
Vondrousova, who was leading 5-3 at the time, got up gingerly, holding her right hip area, and took an off-court medical time-out.
She returned with heavy strapping and played two more games but lost both before shaking hands with Kalinskaya.
As the defending champion, Vondrousova is due to play her first-round match at the All England Club on Centre Court on July 2.
The Czech’s predecessor, Elena Rybakina, made it through to the quarter-finals with a 6-4 7-5 victory over Veronika Kudermetova.
Top seed Coco Gauff saw off Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6 (6) 6-2, while world number three Aryna Sabalenka began her grass-court campaign by beating Daria Kasatkina 6-1 6-4.
It was a good day for the leading names apart from Vondrousova, with Ons Jabeur coming from a set down to defeat young Czech Linda Noskova, while fourth seed Jessica Pegula beat Donna Vekic 6-4 7-5.
Meanwhile, last year’s French Open finalist Karolina Muchova announced she will play at Eastbourne and Wimbledon after more than nine months out following wrist surgery.
