Despite Wimbledon wrapping up, the WTA Tour doesn’t stop and has two 250s full of players who weren’t quite satisfied by their Wimbledon runs. This is a great opportunity to pick up points as many players aren’t in tournaments this week, but 15 withdrawals across the tournaments have changed both fields.
Which Players Have Withdrawn from Athens?
Athens, played on outdoor hardcourt, has eight total withdrawals in women’s singles.
Maya Joint, coming off her defeat of Serena Williams in the first round of Wimbledon, withdrew from the tournament. Joint has been struggling with a back injury all season, and though the win against Williams seems like an indication of a bounce-back, Joint still isn’t at the Top 30 level she achieved last year. This will be an opportunity for Joint to rest and prepare for the second half of the season.
A high-profile withdrawal came from Eva Lys, who has fallen far from the career-high ranking she reached at the start of the year. Camila Osorio withdrew as well, far from her career-high ranking but on the right track as her second-round Wimbledon run pushed her up 15 spots in the WTA rankings.
Coming off a decent natural-surface swing, highlighted by a French Open fourth-round result, Diane Parry won’t be playing Athens. Parry recently defeated Ella Seidel, who has also withdrawn following a first-round Wimbledon loss to eventual champion Linda Noskova.
Lulu Sun, who has only played qualifying at Tour-level events since Charleston, missed out on a chance to get into a main draw with her withdrawal. Renata Zarazua and Dayana Yastremska round out the withdrawals.
Who Replaced Those Players in the Main Draw?
By far the highest-profile alternate is Qinwen Zheng, who replaced Osorio on the entry list. Zheng, outside the top 100 following time away from the sport due to injuries, is slowly climbing her way back. Zheng is underranked compared to her talent and can take advantage of this draw if she’s playing well.
In something of a sophomore slump, Polina Kudermetova received a much-needed entry into this tournament due to Joint’s withdrawal. This season hasn’t lived up to her strong start from last year, but this could be a jumping off point.
Harriet Dart couldn’t capitalize on her numerous wild cards during grass season but has been given a second chance with an entry here, replacing Parry.
Two alternates, Rebeka Masarova (replacing Seidel) and Carole Monnet (replacing Lys) will play against each other, marking an excellent opportunity for both alternates to get a win here and pick up some points. Not quite as lucky were Viktoriya Tomova and Sofia Costulas, replacing Yastremska and Sun, who will both play seeded players.
The final alternate is Aliaksandra Sasnovich, replacing Zarazua.
