PRAGUE: Lucie Safarova, the women’s doubles world number one, said Friday she was pulling out of China Open in Beijing starting on Saturday because of a wrist injury. The 30-year-old Czech has already skipped the ongoing Wuhan Open. “I’m sad to announce I won’t be coming to Beijing,” Safarova said. “My wrist injury still doesn’t allow me to come back on court.” Together with Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Safarova won at both Wuhan and Beijing Opens last year. Following Mattek-Sands’ serious knee injury at Wimbledon, Safarova climbed to the doubles number one post, replacing her American partner. But she will lose that honour to former world singles number one Martina Hingis on Monday because of the loss of points from China.
Published in Daily Times, September 30th 2017.