Women Players Suffering Sports Injuries

Written by: Staff on 28th March 2013

Women Players Suffering Sports Injuries

epa03619752 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus returns a shot to Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium during their match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, USA, 11 March 2013. EPA/PAUL BUCK |

Victoria Azarenka heads a notable list of spring casualties who are forced to the sidelines as the United States hard court spring swing is set to shift onto clay.

Recently displaced former world no.1 Azarenka has decided the ankle injury which forced her out of the Dubai Duty Free Championships, BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and more recently the ongoing Sony Open in Miami is still not healed sufficiently for her to contest next week’s Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina.

Azarenka now will not compete until Madrid in early May but the Belorussian’s scheduled return is long before that of Canada’s Aleksandra Wozniak has been told that she needs another three months off due to shoulder trouble.

Wozniak was hampered by shoulder pain in her opening-round loss at the recent Sony Open in Miami, her first tournament appearance in six months. She later consulted with a shoulder specialist, who recommended that she take some additional time off.

“It’s extremely disappointing and as difficult a decision as it is for me, there are no other options,” Wozniak said in a statement prepared by Tennis Canada. “I felt ready to come back and I even took more time than needed as a precautionary measure to make sure my shoulder was fully healed, but now I’m back to square one.

“I have to be patient, rest and prepare for a return to action in July.”

The 25-year-old right-hander was diagnosed with an acromioclavicular joint sprain last September after she withdrew from the Bell Challenge in Quebec City. Wozniak underwent physiotherapy before resuming training for the 2013 season.

Britain’s 39th ranked Heather Watson is also sidelined with a thigh injury and has withdrawn from the Charleston field.

The 20 year-old Channel Islander who lost early at both Indian Wells and Miami is back in London and being treated at the lawn tennis Association’s National Tennis Centre in Roehampton.

Britain’s Fed Cup captain Judy Murray is determined Watson reclaims full fitness in time for the World Group II play-off against Argentina in Buenos Aires on April 20.

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Aleksandra Wozniak, Fed Cup, Heather Watson, Miami Sony Open, Tennis Canada, Victoria Azarenka