According to the Associated Press on Saturday, American tennis star Jennifer Brady has become the fourth notable women’s tennis player to pull out of the 2022 Australian Open. She follows 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu of Canada (mental and physical health reasons), seven-time Australian Open champion Serena Williams of the United States (a leg injury), and Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic (hand injury).
Brady, who qualified for the 2021 Australian Open final before losing to Naomi Osaka of Japan, 6-4, 6-3, withdrew because of a left foot injury. It has been a while since we have seen Brady on the tennis court. In fact, she has not played a competitive match since losing in the second round in Cincinnati to 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia. At the time, Brady was forced to withdraw after winning the first set 7-6, and then trailing Ostapenko 5-4 in the second set. In addition to missing the 2022 Australian Open, Brady also missed the 2021 U.S. Open too.
Currently ranked 25th in the world, it was simply a magical Australian Open for Brady a year ago. Seeded 22nd at the time, Brady, a native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, had a favourable draw last year in Melbourne, and did not have to play a single player ranked higher than her in the WTA rankings until having to play Osaka in the final.
This was the second straight an American reached the final at the 2022 Australian Open. In 2021, Sofia Kenin of Pembroke Pines, Florida, reached the final before beating Garbine Muguruza of Spain 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.
