NEW YORK – Aryna Sabalenka, currently‍ ranked No. 1 in the ⁢world,will⁤ advance to the semifinals of the 2024 US Open without playing a quarterfinal match. Her opponent,Marketa ⁤Vondrousova,was forced to⁣ withdraw tuesday afternoon due to⁣ a⁣ recurring⁢ knee injury.

Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, released ⁢a statement expressing her disappointment. “I⁤ am sorry to announce that‍ I have to withdraw from my quarterfinal match ‍this ⁤evening due to a knee injury,”‍ she said. “I tried my⁤ best to take the court today, but during the warm-up‍ I felt again my knee, and after consultation with the tournament doctor decided not to risk ‍aggravating the injury.” She also thanked fans⁣ for their‍ support and expressed her hope ⁣to return ⁤to the Billie⁣ Jean King National⁤ Tennis Center next year.

This withdrawal marks ⁣a particularly arduous turn for⁤ Vondrousova, who has faced challenges with injuries throughout the season, including shoulder issues. Despite these setbacks,she enjoyed ⁢a ⁣strong run at this year’s⁣ US open,defeating‍ No.7⁤ seed Jasmine Paolini in the third round and No. ⁤9 seed Elena Rybakina in the fourth.

Sabalenka‍ responded to the news with empathy,posting on Instagram, “So sorry for Marketa after all she’s been through. She has been playing amazing tennis and I know ⁤how badly this must hurt for her. Take care⁢ of⁣ yourself and ⁤I hope ‍you can recover quickly.”

The walkover sets up a highly anticipated semifinal match for sabalenka against No. 4 seed Jessica ‍pegula on Thursday. This will ⁤be a rematch ⁣of the 2023 US Open final, which ⁢Sabalenka won in straight sets. Pegula secured her place in the semifinals earlier Tuesday with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Barbora Krejcikova.

The ⁣injury to Vondrousova underscores⁣ the ‍physical demands placed on professional tennis players and⁢ the constant risk of setbacks, ⁣even for those at⁣ the peak of their game.