World No 1 Ashleigh Barty retired from her second-round match with Magda Linette at the French Open on Thursday due to an injury.
The Australian had lost the first set 6-1 and was level with Linette at 2-2 in the second frame when she decided she could no longer continue.
Barty, champion at Roland Garros in 2019, had struggled with a hip injury in her first-round contest with Bernarda Pera on Tuesday, but the 25-year-old ultimately prevailed 6-4 3-6 6-2.
The injury had been on Barty’s mind since that victory, however, with the Australian mentioning it ahead of her meeting with Linette.
The issue proved too much for Barty to overcome, and her Polish opponent advanced to the third round in Paris via walkover. Next up for Linette at the clay-court Grand Slam will be Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur.
Barty’s exit follows the withdrawal of another big name in the women’s singles draw: Naomi Osaka.
The former world No 1 pulled out of the French Open this week amid backlash over her media boycott.
Osaka, who said ahead of the major that she would not partake in press conferences, was fined and threatened with expulsion for sticking to her guns after her first-round win against Patricia Maria Tig.
The 23-year-old cited mental health struggles as she withdrew from Roland Garros.
