Victoria Azarenka, who retired in the second set of her third-round match against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in Cincinnati, has a leg injury and said she didn’t want to risk not being fit at the U.S. Open. Azarenka won the first set 6-1 and retired after losing the first three games of the second set.
“The tournament unfortunately not actually at the best with my leg,” Azarenka said. “It was at the beginning more of a protection but it was a little bit there. I started to feel like getting a little bit worse and such a short period of time before the U.S. Open it's a little bit dangerous. I had to unfortunately make that decision.”
The former No. 1 was hurt after Wimbledon. where she reached the quarterfinals; a few weeks later, she pulled out of Washington. The 26-year-old then lost to Sara Errani in the third round of the Rogers Cup, in Toronto. The Belarussian also withdrew with injury before Key Biscayne this spring.
Azarenka has reached the U.S. Open final twice, in 2012 and 2013, falling against Serena Williams both times.
“I'm not too worried about my game at the moment,” Azarenka said. “I just need to take care of this thing. I don't think it's going to be a big deal, but it's definitely something I have to manage. You know, just reset my mind. I have been having some of the issues the last couple of weeks, but nothing that I can't overcome. I'm going to be ready for the Open.”