World No. 1 Simona Halep withdraws from WTA Finals, replaced by Kiki Bertens
Tennis world No. 1 Simona Halep has pulled out from the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global on Thursday (18 October), as she fails to recover from a lower back injury she first sustained in September, when she was training for the Wuhan Open.
Taking her place at the season-ending tournament on 21 to 28 October will be the Netherlands’ Kiki Bertens.
Halep said in a statement on the WTA website, “Unfortunately, after much discussion with my team and doctors, I have made the decision to withdraw from the WTA Finals in Singapore. I wanted to finish 2018 on a high after such an incredible year, but sadly my back injury hasn’t healed the way we hoped it would and I need to put my long-term health first.
“I’m sad I won’t be able to play the fifth and final edition here in Singapore, but I’m confident this is the right decision and will do everything I can to be back fighting for my place at the WTA Finals (in Shenzhen) next year.”
The 27-year-old French Open champion was the only player to have qualified for all five editions of the WTA Finals in Singapore. She reached the final on her tournament debut in the 2014, but lost to Serena Williams.
For Bertens, it will be the world No. 10’s second WTA appearance in Singapore, but her first as a singles player. She competed in the doubles competition alongside Sweden’s Johanna Larsson in 2017.
The Dutchwoman broke into the top 10 world rankings earlier this month, becoming the first women’s player from the Netherlands to do so since Brenda Schultz-McCarty in 1996.
She captured the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati, defeating Halep in the final in August, and also picked up titles in Charleston and Seoul.
“I’m very happy with my season and to finish it off at the WTA Finals is the ultimate prize,” said the 26-year-old. “I have great memories in Singapore from reaching the doubles final last year. I look forward to being back to compete in front of the amazing crowd.”
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