Karolina Pliskova Retires from US Open After Three Points Due to Ankle Injury
Karolina Pliskova, the former world No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam finalist, suffered a heartbreaking retirement from the US Open in the second round on Wednesday. The Czech star played just three points against Jasmine Paolini before being forced to withdraw due to an ankle injury.
The match began with Paolini losing the first point on serve with an unforced error. She recovered to 15-all after a Pliskova miss, and then took the next point with a forehand winner. However, disaster struck on the fourth point.
As Pliskova turned to her right to retrieve Paolini’s shot, she pushed off her left ankle and immediately hopped up in the air. She walked toward her chair and then, shortly after, ended the match.
The injury was reminiscent of Aaron Rodgers’ start with the New York Jets last September, when he suffered an ACL injury just four snaps into his season. It is a rare occurrence to see a 0-0 (ret.) score in tennis, but that is the case after today’s unfortunate event.
Paolini advances to the third round, where she will face 30th seed Yulia Putintseva. Pliskova’s retirement is a major blow to her hopes of winning her first Grand Slam title. The 30-year-old has been in good form this season, reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open and the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.
The injury is also a setback for the US Open, which has already seen several top players withdraw due to injury. Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams, and Simona Halep are among those who have pulled out of the tournament.
