World No.1 Sabalenka pulls out of WTA Montreal event
The 27-year-old from Belarus, runner-up at the Australian and French Opens, comes off semi-final runs at Wimbledon and Berlin and titles at Madrid and Miami.
"I'm looking forward to kicking off the North American hard-court swing, but to give myself the best chance for success this season, I've decided it's in my best interest to skip Montreal," Sabalenka said.
Missing the July 27-August 7 event leaves the reigning US Open champion only one major tuneup, at Cincinnati in August, before she tries to defend her crown on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts.
"I'll miss my amazing Canadian fans, but I'm already looking forward to seeing you all next year," Sabalenka said. "Thanks for your understanding and support -- it means the world to me."
Sabalenka was upset in the Wimbledon semi-finals by American Amanda Anisimova.
"We're obviously disappointed that Aryna won't be with us this year," tournament director Valerie Tetreault said.
World number 10 Paula Badosa of Spain withdrew from the event due to injury. The two departures opened spots in the main draw for American Caty McNally and Japan's Moyuka Uchijima.
Canada's Eugenie Bouchard announced on Wednesday that she will retire from professional tennis after the WTA event in Montreal, her hometown.
Bouchard, 31, rose as high as fifth in the world rankings and enjoyed her best career season in 2014 when she reached her only Grand Slam singles final at Wimbledon.
She also made semi-final runs that year at the Australian and French Opens and reached the fourth round at the US Open, her best career showings in each of the Grand Slam tournaments.
js/mw
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Jets agree to terms with second-round pick Mason Taylor
The Jets have gotten a deal done with their second-round pick. Per Cameron Wolfe of NFL Media, New York and Mason Taylor have agreed to terms on the tight end's four-year rookie contract. Taylor was the No. 42 overall pick in this year's draft. Wolfe notes that of the $10.46 million in Taylor's contract, 91.3 percent of it ($9.56 million) was guaranteed. Taylor also received 60 percent of his Year 4 salary guaranteed, which is a 55 percent increase from the No. 42 pick in 2024. Taylor, 21, played his college ball at LSU. He is the son of Hall of Fame defensive end Jason Taylor.
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Former Islanders Goalie Announces Retirement
Former New York Islanders goalie Jaroslav Halak announced his retirement from the NHL on Friday. A member of the franchise for four seasons, the netminder hangs up the pads following a 17-year NHL career. Tomáš Prokop (@Lewysko) on X Jaroslav Halák has officially retired at age 40. He played in the NHL from 2006 to 2023, appeared in 581 games, suited up for eight teams, and won the William M. Jennings Trophy twice. He confirmed it to me in an interview for @DennikSport Halak joined the Islanders in the 2014 offseason as part of an offseason overhaul, joining the Islanders in the summer of 2014 in exchange for a fourth-round pick. Halak and Chad Johnson were the new names in goal for the team, joining incoming defensemen Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk and forwards Nikolai Kulemin and Mikhail Grabovski. Halak became the new starter in net and immediately paid dividends, making the All-Star Game in his first season. He finished his first season with a 38-17-4 record, 2.43 GAA and .914 SV%. His 38 wins still stand as an Islanders single-season record. He followed the season up with another solid season, making 36 with an 18-13-4 record with a 2.30 GAA and .919 SV%. However, his season was cut short, suffering a season-ending injury against the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 8, 2016. Halak's final two years were filled with ups and downs, starting in 2016-17 with an underwhelming start to the season. He started the season 6-8-5 with a 3.23 GAA and .904 SV%, with additional controversy surrounding a three-goalie room with Thomas Greiss and Jean-Francois Berube. Ultimately, Halak was sent down to AHL Bridgeport on Dec. 30, getting recalled to finish the year in March. He was able to salvage his season with a 12-9-5 record, 2.80 GAA and .915 SV%. His final year with the team was a down season, mired by underperformance and shaky team defense. The season was his only one with a losing record with the Islanders, finishing with a 20-26-6 record, 3.19 GAA, and .908 SV%. The following offseason, Halak signed a contract with the Boston Bruins, splitting time with Tuukka Rask for three seasons. Halak finishes his NHL career with a 295-189-69 record in 581 games, posting a 2.50 GAA and .915 SV% across seven different teams. He also split a pair of Jennings Trophies for the fewest goals allowed in the league in the 2011-12 and 2019-20 seasons with Brian Elliott and Rask, respectively. Matthew Page wrote this story. PHOTO: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NHL Trade Rumors: Penguins' Bryan Rust Linked To 3 Teams
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust is one of the NHL's top trade candidates right now. With the Penguins retooling, the 33-year-old winger would have the potential to land them a significant return if they decided to trade him. Rust just set new career highs with 31 goals and 65 points in 71 games this past season, so he has raised his trade value. Furthermore, his contract is very good, as he has a reasonable $5.125 million cap hit until the end of the 2027-28 season. Thus, he could be a good fit for both playoff and non-playoff teams. Now, a few clubs are being connected to Rust. According to The Fourth Period, the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Columbus Blue Jackets are among the teams linked to Rust. After trading JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth this off-season, there is no question that the Sabres could use another top-six winger to replace him. Thus, the Sabres reportedly being interested in Rust is very easy to understand. He would give their top six and power play a significant boost if acquired. He also does not have any trade protection, so he makes a lot of sense as a target for Buffalo. With the Maple Leafs losing Mitch Marner this summer, adding another top-six right winger should be one of their top objectives moving forward. While Rust would not produce the same kind of offense as a superstar like Marner, he would still improve Toronto's forward group and be one of their key point producers if acquired. As for the Blue Jackets, they are also in a position to make a move for a player like Rust. They have a ton of cap space to work with and could use another top-six forward, so they would be a good fit for Rust. They also have plenty of potential trade assets that could be appealing to the Penguins. NHL Rumors: 2 Under-The-Radar Penguins Trade Candidates The Pittsburgh Penguins are the most popular team in the rumor mill right now. It is understandable, as Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson are currently considered three of the top trade candidates in the league. Photo Credit: © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
