Staff Reporter.
Ons Jabeur, the 2022 US Open women’s runner-up, withdrew from this year’s tournament Thursday because of a shoulder injury.
Jabeur was to be the No. 17 seed in the tournament that begins Monday. The U.S. Tennis Association said Elise Mertens, the next-highest player eligible to be seeded, will become the No. 33 seed.
Jabeur has struggled with injuries recently, pulling out of the hard-court tournament in Washington before losing to Naomi Osaka in her lone match in Montreal. She wrote in an Instagram post Thursday that her shoulder had not recovered in time to allow her to play at Flushing Meadows.
Tunisian reached one of her three Grand Slam finals at the US Open in 2022, finishing runner-up to World No.1 Iga Swaitek. Jabeur also reached the Wimbledon final in both 2022 and 2023.
Jabeur has a 16-8 career main-draw win-loss record at the US Open. In addition to her 2022 final, she made the Round of 16 at last year’s edition. All told, Jabeur made the US Open third round or better in each of the last five years.