Staff Reporter.
Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova and British number two Cameron Norrie have withdrawn from the U.S. Open, the USTA said on Friday as both players recover from injuries that kept them out of the Paris Olympics.
Czech Vondrousova withdrew from the Games due to a hand injury, saying her focus was on being ready for the year’s final Grand Slam, which starts on Aug. 26 in New York.
Norrie, whose best U.S. Open result came in 2022 when he reached the fourth round, pulled out of the Olympics due to a forearm injury.
Petra Martic replaces Vondrousova in the women’s draw in New York, while Francisco Comesana takes Norrie’s spot in the men’s bracket for the year’s last Grand Slam tournament.
The draw for the U.S. Open is next Thursday; play begins on Aug. 26.
Meanwhile top-ranked Iga Swiatek defeated Marta Kostyuk for the second time this season on Friday, powering into the ATP and WTA Cincinnati Masters quarterfinals by 6-2, 6-2.
The top seed backed up her win over the Ukrainian at Indian Wells last March and now stands 3-0 in the rivalry without the loss of a set.
Due to rain all morning, Swiatek stepped onto the court without any pre-match practice, but showed no ill effects.
Swiatek was able to finish off victory efficiently after struggling through three sets in the previous round to defeat Varvara Gracheva despite wasting a handful of match points.
The Pole claimed her 29th season victory at the Masters level and will be competing in her 18th quarterfinal in the elite series.