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Maria Sakkari, who is currently ranked world No. 22, has officially decided to end her 2024 tennis season early due to a persistent shoulder injury, as she shared in her latest Instagram story. The 29-year-old Greek player has been struggling with this injury for weeks, focusing on her recovery. Unfortunately, her rehabilitation has not progressed as expected, leading her to withdraw from all upcoming tournaments for the remainder of the year.
Sakkari’s announcement joins a growing list of WTA players who have had to cut short their seasons due to injuries, such as Ons Jabeur and Caroline Garcia. The rising number and severity of injuries among top players in both the ATP and WTA circuits have raised concerns about the toll of the demanding tennis schedule on athletes’ well-being.
Throughout the 2024 season, Sakkari has faced various challenges, including parting ways with her longtime coach Tom Hill earlier in the year. Despite trying to establish a new partnership with David Witt, she ended that collaboration just a few months later, in June. The shoulder injury has added to the obstacles she has encountered, leading her to withdraw from competition earlier than planned.
Sakkari’s most recent appearance on the court was at the US Open in late August, where she had to retire during her first-round match against Wang Yafan due to shoulder issues. Wang took the opening set 6-2 before Sakkari had to concede, unable to continue playing through the pain.
In her latest Instagram story, Sakkari expressed gratitude to her fans for their unwavering support and pledged to return stronger and free of pain. “It’s been a challenging year, but it has also taught me a lot,” she wrote, leaving her followers with a positive message about her future. Sakkari ended her announcement by declaring that she will be back soon, with her sights set on a comeback in Australia in 2025.
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