Karolina Pliskova of Louny, Czech Republic, the fourth-ranked women’s tennis player in the world, has pulled out of the 2022 Australian Open because of a hand injury according to Sky Sports. The injury occurred during a training session on Wednesday.
Pliskova becomes the third high profile women’s tennis player to pull out of the first major of the 2022 tennis season. She follows seven-time Australian Open champion Serena Williams of the United States (leg injury), and 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu of Canada (mental health reasons).
Speaking of mental health issues, the reigning Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka of Japan, withdrew from the French Open because of mental health reasons and then later Wimbledon as well in 2021. Osaka is however scheduled to compete at the Australian Open next month.
This year Pliskova had an outstanding season. In 56 matches, she won 42 of them. Pliskova’s most notable accomplishment was reaching the finals of Wimbledon, where she lost to Australia’s Ashleigh Barty, the world number one, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3.
Pliskova did not win a WTA tournament in 2021, but also reached the finals of the Italian Open (where she was bageled 6-0, 6-0 by Iga Swiatek of Poland), and the National Bank Open (formerly the Rogers Cup or Canadian Open), where she lost to Camilia Giorgi of Italy 6-3, 7-5. In the other three major events in 2021, Pliskova reached the second round of the French Open, the third round of the Australian Open, and the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open.
The 2021 Wimbledon was the second grand slam final Pliskova has played in her singles’ tennis career. She also made the final of the 2016 U.S. Open, where she was beaten by Germany’s Angelique Kerber, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
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