The main draw of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships begins on Monday. Unsurprisingly, the excitement among the tennis world is building as the start gets nearer. Top players like last year’s men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz and 2022 women’s champion Elena Rybakina are set to feature at SW19. However, four players have withdrawn from Wimbledon. This article names those who have elected to withdraw and then lists their four replacements in the draw.
Four Players Withdraw From Wimbledon 2024
Which Players Have Withdrawn?
Rafael Nadal was the first player to withdraw from Wimbledon. The two-time champion in London said in a statement that he felt switching from clay to grass and then back to clay again for the Olympics would have been too tough for his body after the number of injuries he has endured. Although it is disappointing for the fans, Nadal’s decision was expected. His chances of going far at the Olympics at Roland-Garros seem far more realistic, making it a sensible move.
Jiri Lehecka was the second player to withdraw from Wimbledon. The Czech suffered a back injury last month during his Madrid Open semifinal against Felix Auger-Aliassime. He has not played since that incident. Unfortunately, Lehecka also announced that he will miss the Olympics as well, due to the severity of the injury. It is not currently known when he will return to the court.
Petra Kvitova also withdrew from the third Grand Slam of the year. This has been known for some time. In January, Kvitova announced that she was pregnant with her first child and was taking time away from the sport. However, since Kvitova’s ranking was still high enough to be in the main draw, the two-time Wimbledon champion is still officially replaced at the tournament.
Belinda Benic was also counted as a withdrawal from Wimbledon. Like Kvitova, this was due to becoming pregnant with her first child. Bencic gave birth to a daughter in April and the Olympic gold medalist is currently focusing on being a mother.
Who Replaces Those Four Players In The Draw?
Maximilian Marterer takes Nadal’s place at Wimbledon. The German reached the third-round at SW19 last year as a qualifier. He does not need to go through the qualifying process this time and will hope for another strong showing in London this year.
Botic van de Zandschulp benefits from Lehecka’s decision to withdraw from Wimbledon. The Dutchman had a strong showing at the event in 2022. A third-round victory against stalwart Richard Gasquet saw him make the fourth-round, which he lost to Nadal in straight sets.
Jule Niemeier is also set to feature due to Kvitova’s absence. She is a former quarterfinalist at the tournament, proving how dangerous she is at her best on grass. Niemeier also recently beat Maria Sakkari at the ongoing Bad Homburg Open. The 24-year-old will be an awkward draw for anyone if she replicates that form.
Finally, Alison Van Uytvanck is on the entry list as a result of Bencic’s withdrawal from Wimbledon. She began her grass-court season by winning an ITF event at the start of the month in London. The Belgian also progressed to the fourth-round of Wimbledon in 2018.
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
