Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands, the 10th ranked female tennis player in the world, will miss the 2021 Australian Open after having left Achilles tendon surgery. According to the Associated Press on Tuesday, Bertens took a picture of herself in a hospital bed with a cast on her leg. The picture can be seen on Bertens’ Instagram account.
This is the fifth significant injury that Bertens has had in her career. In addition to her Achilles, she has dealt with ailments to her thigh, shoulder, back, and calf.
Bertens’ final match before her surgery came at the French Open. She lost in the fourth round to Italian qualifier Martina Trevisan, 6-4, 6-4. The most significant match that Bertens had at the French Open came in the second round when she beat Italian qualifier Sara Errani 7-6, 3-6, 9-7. Errani is a clay court specialist who reached the finals of the 2012 French Open.
Bertens’ most significant event in 2020 came in St. Petersburg, Russia in February. At the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy, Bertens made the final before beating Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan 6-1, 6-3. In the Russian tournament, Bertens beat three other Russians, in Veronika Kudermetova in the second round, qualifier Anastasia Potapova in the quarterfinals, and Ekaterina Alexandrova in the semifinals.
In addition to reaching the fourth round of the French Open in 2020, Bertens also reached the fourth round of the Australian Open in January. There she lost to two-time grand slam champion Garbine Muguruza of Spain. Bertens did not participate at the U.S. Open in September.
The greatest Grand Slam accomplishment for Bertens came on clay four years ago. At the 2016 French Open, Bertens reached the semifinals before losing 7-6, 6-4 to Serena Williams of the United States.
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