{"id":143990,"date":"2025-09-17T20:14:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T20:14:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/143990\/"},"modified":"2025-09-17T20:14:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T20:14:10","slug":"aryna-sabalenka-withdraws-from-china-open-livens-up-race-for-world-no-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/143990\/","title":{"rendered":"Aryna Sabalenka withdraws from China Open, livens up race for world No. 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Aryna Sabalenka<\/a>, the world No. 1, has withdrawn from the WTA 1000 China Open in Beijing due to a \u201cminor injury,\u201d the tournament confirmed Wednesday.<\/p>\n

The event, which begins September 24, was slated to be Sabalenka\u2019s first tournament since she defended her U.S. Open title<\/a> earlier this month.<\/p>\n

As of Wednesday morning, Sabalenka had not commented on the news, but she has managed her schedule carefully at times this season. In August, she skipped the Canadian Open to extend her recovery and training time after Wimbledon. A representative for Sabalenka characterized this injury as a niggle and nothing serious.<\/p>\n

Aryna Sabalenka has withdrawn from the 2025 China Open due to a minor injury.
We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming her back in Beijing.#2025ChinaOpen<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 China Open (@ChinaOpen) September 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Sabalenka is due to return to action at next month\u2019s Wuhan Open, which begins on October 6, the day after the China Open finishes. It\u2019s possible that her lead as the world No. 1 will have been cut quite considerably by then.<\/p>\n

Based on points won this year in the race to be the season-ending world No. 1, Sabalenka leads Iga \u015awi\u0105tek by 2,077 points. \u015awi\u0105tek is competing at the Korea Open this week, where 500 points are up for grabs for the winner, ahead of the 1,000 on offer for the China Open champion. A few good weeks for \u015awi\u0105tek would give her a chance of overhauling Sabalenka at the year-ending WTA Finals, which take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the start of November.<\/p>\n

Heavy rain has meant that \u015awi\u0105tek\u2019s opening match in Seoul, against Sorana C\u00eerstea of Romania or Russia\u2019s Anastasia Zakharova, has been delayed until Thursday.<\/p>\n

Sabalenka will have had around a month off court by the time of her expected return in Wuhan.<\/p>\n

(Photo: Robert Prange \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

\"Connections:\"Connections:<\/p>\n

Sep 17, 2025<\/p>\n

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