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I tried but I just couldn’t – Wozniacki apologises to fans after she becomes latest star to pull out of Hong Kong Tennis Open
Former world No 1 injures her elbow before her second-round match as annual showpiece is decimated by the latest major withdrawal at Victoria Park
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Tournament organisers at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open were left scratching their heads wondering what they had done to deserve their bad luck on Thursday as the event was thrown into disarray after two major withdrawals in five hours.
Caroline Wozniacki, the defending champion and the biggest name left in an already decimated field, pulled out moments before she was set to take the court for her second round clash with Australia’s Lizette Cabrera.
That retirement came on the same day that the top seed in Hong Kong, Elina Svitolina, was forced to pull out minutes before her own last 32 match earlier in the day with a leg injury.
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An almost-full centre court, anticipating seeing the world number six in action, was left wondering what was happening as an initial 10-minute delay was announced, before the 27-year-old emerged on the court to make a statement, pose for selfies and throw autographed tennis balls into the crowd before departing.
"I want to thank this amazing crowd for the support...it's very disappointing" -@CaroWozniacki forced to pull out of @HKTennisOpen pic.twitter.com/71vPJrMDzp— WTA (@WTA) October 12, 2017
An emotional Wozniacki revealed that she had injured her elbow in practice earlier in the day and was unable to compete.
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