Swiatek withdraws from Ningbo Open with a left thigh injury

Iga Swiatek has withdrawn from the Ningbo Open in China because of an injured left thigh, diminishing her chances of contesting the season-ending WTA Finals at Indian Wells next month. The six-time major winner lost to eventual champion Maja Chwalinska in the semifinals at the Wuhan Open last week a nd struggled at times in that match. “After careful consideration, I´ve decided to withdraw from the tournament,” Swiatek said in a statement posted on social media Tuesday by the Ningbo tournament. “I´ve been experiencing an ongoing problem with my left thigh over the past weeks and I feel that giving myself the time to rest and recover is the right decision.” Swiatek was one of three players in contention for the last spot in the eight-player field for the WTA Finals with Karolina Muchova and Marta Kostyuk ahead of tournaments this week. The WTA, in a preview of the Ningbo tournament, said if Swiatek didn’t reach the quarterfinals and Kostyuk doesn’t reach the final here, Muchova will secure the remaining spot for the season-ending tournament at Indian Wells starting Nov. 8.