Bianca Andreescu withdraws from US Open 2023 due to injury

Former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu has withdrawn from the year's edition of the tournament in New York. This heartbreaking decision was prompted by an unexpected injury.

Andreescu revealed on social media that she suffered back pain during her first-round loss to Marta Kostyuk at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. back in July.

The Canadian said the pain worsened during her first-round loss to Camila Giorgi at the National Bank Open in Montreal, later forcing her to withdraw from the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati the following week.

"Last week during my match in Washington, I experienced some back pain. Some SI joint pain, to be exact. I've had this before. I've had to deal with it many times, actually," Andreescu said in her Canadian Open press conference.

"Yeah, it got better for a few days, and then, you know, I started playing again, and then obviously I felt some irritation, but I saw some light at the end of the tunnel. But with SI joint pain, it's very difficult because it's nothing very serious, but if you do push, you do feel a lot of pain. That's what I experienced one of the days practicing before the tournament," she added.

The 23-year-old was set to face 2018 US Open quarterfinalist Lesia Tsurenko in the first round at Flushing Meadows on Tuesday. However, the Ukrainian will now face a qualifier or a lucky loser, who will be drawn at the end of the final qualifying round on Saturday.

The tournament officials announced Bianca Andreescu's withdrawal on Twitter, writing:

"Bianca Andreescu has withdrawn from the #USOpen. She will be replaced by a qualifier/lucky loser."

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A look back at Bianca Andreescu's title run at the US Open 2019

Bianca Andreescu pictured with her 2019 US Open title.

Bianca Andreescu's stunning title win at the 2019 US Open was a tennis tale for the ages. At just 19 years old, the Canadian didn't just display her incredible skills but also showcased her determination and mental fortitude throughout the entire tournament.

Her journey to the title was nothing short of remarkable. She took down some of the biggest names in tennis, like Caroline Wozniacki, Belinda Bencic and Elise Mertens, en route to the final showdown. In the title bout, she faced none other than 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams.

The final was an absolute thriller that went down in two sets. Andreescu's game was a mix of a variety of clever shots and well-placed slices that kept Williams on her toes. But what really set her apart was her coolness under pressure.

Even in her first Grand Slam final, the Canadian held her nerves. She clinched the title with a score of 6-3, 7-5, etching her name in history as Canada's first-ever Grand Slam singles champion.