After Barbora Krejcikova’s three-set victory against Jasmine Paolini to win the women’s singles title at Wimbledon, the WTA Tour will return to clay ahead of the Olympics at Roland-Garros in two weeks. One of these events is at the Palermo Open. The tournament has a great entry list, with Australian Open runner-up Zheng Qinwen and French Open finalist Karolina Muchova set to be the top two seeds. However, a substantial eight players have withdrawn from the Palermo Open. We at LWOT also reported on seven players withdrawing from the WTA Budapest Grand Prix.
Eight Players Withdraw From Palermo Open
Which Players Have Withdrawn?
Elina Svitolina was the first player to withdraw from the Palermo Open. The Ukrainian had a solid run to the quarterfinal at Wimbledon before being knocked out by the 2022 champion, Elena Rybakina. Unsurprisingly, Svitolina feels some additional rest is needed after her efforts in London.
Elisabetta Cocciaretto was the second player to withdraw from the Palermo Open. A few weeks ago, she was in good form, including a run to the fourth round of the French Open. Unfortunately, she could not play at Wimbledon due to a viral illness. It seems likely that is why she is choosing not to compete at her home event.
Wang Xinyu also withdrew from the Palermo Open entry list. She had a memorable victory in the second round of Wimbledon against Jessica Pegula. No official reason for her decision not to play in Italy has been given. She may want some extra recovery time after getting to the fourth round at SW19.
The other five players who withdrew from the Palermo Open were Hailey Baptiste, Oceane Dodin, Yuan Yue, Clara Burel, and Renata Zarazua.
Who Replaces Those Eight Players in the Draw?
Erika Andreeva replaces Svitolina at the Palermo Open. The talented 20-year-old made the second round of Wimbledon, where she lost to the eventual semifinalist Donna Vekic. Andreeva has played excellent tennis on clay in the past and will hope to succeed again on the dirt.
Emiliana Arango benefits from Cocciaretto’s decision to withdraw from the Palermo Open. She is a clay-court specialist, meaning she will relish the chance to compete at the tournament. Arango is one of the grittiest and most determined players on the WTA Tour.
Darja Semenistaja takes Wang’s place at the event. Although the Latvian has never qualified for a Grand Slam main draw, she has won several clay-court titles on the ITF Circuit. That proves she has some natural flair for the surface.
The other five players to come into the draw are Astra Sharma, Chlow Paquet, Marina Bassols Ribera, Julia Riera and Irina-Camelia Begu.
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey – USA TODAY Sports
