BEIJING, Sept 24 — Former U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu became the latest high-profile player to withdraw from the China Open after the Briton said she was skipping the WTA 1000 tournament due to a foot injury.

Raducanu has struggled with injuries since capturing the New York title in 2021 and spent most of last season recovering from ankle and wrist surgeries.

The 21-year-old, who has since climbed to 54th in the world, sustained her latest setback in the Korea Open quarter-finals on Saturday while playing Daria Kasatkina.

"I sprained some ligaments in my foot which unfortunately need some more time to heal,” Raducanu said on Monday.

"It means I can’t play in Beijing but I hope to be back competing as soon as I can.”

Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, world number one Iga Swiatek and three-times Grand Slam runner-up Ons Jabeur have decided to skip the Beijing event, which runs from Sept. 25-Oct. 6.

The men’s ATP 500 tournament in Beijing lost one of its top players when organisers said world number two Alexander Zverev had pulled out due to pneumonia.

The 27-year-old helped Team Europe complete a 13-11 victory over Team World in the Laver Cup at the weekend but was absent from the German squad announced on Monday for the Davis Cup Final 8 in November.

The draw for the China Open, which will feature four of the top six men’s players, including world number one Jannik Sinner, takes place on Tuesday. — Reuters