Sidelined again: Bianca Andreescu to miss US Open with lower back stress fracture

Bianca Andreescu won’t have a chance to rekindle the magic in Queens this year.

On Saturday, the 2019 US Open champion withdrew from the hard-court major due to the lower back stress fracture that also forced her out of last week’s Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.

The Canadian was in line to contest all four majors in a single season for the second time in her career. With her latest blow, Andreescu has now been sidelined for five of the 15 majors staged since her triumph at Flushing Meadows.

The former world No. 4 was among the players, present and past, who attended Friday evening's WTA 50 gala. On Saturday, she was on hand for Arthur Ashe Kids' Day to promote her children's picture book, "Bibi's Got Game."

Earlier this year, the 23-year-old beat Victoria Azarenka in the first round of Roland Garros and overcame a 2-5 final-set deficit against Anhelina Kalinina to reach the third round of Wimbledon for the first time. But since becoming her nation’s first major singles champion four years ago, Andreescu hasn’t been in the conversation again at the Grand Slam events, with just one fourth-round appearance to show for.

Andreescu will be replaced by a qualifier or lucky loser to face Lesia Tsurenko on Tuesday. Currently ranked No. 51, Andreescu will drop further with third-round points due to come off her ranking at the end of the tournament.