World number one Aryna Sabalenka has withdrawn from the 2025 China Open due to injury, tournament organisers confirmed on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old Belarusian, who recently won her second consecutive US Open title, is yet to recover fully from a minor injury sustained in New York.
“I am sad to announce my withdrawal from the China Open this year after sustaining a small injury after the U.S. Open,” Sabalenka said in a statement shared on Chinese social media platform Weibo. “I will focus on my recovery and look forward to coming back stronger.”
Sabalenka’s absence is a blow to the Beijing tournament, which runs from September 24 to October 5. She reached the quarterfinal stage there last year and was expected to headline this year’s draw as top seed.
Despite missing Beijing, Sabalenka is targeting a return at the Wuhan Open in October, where she is the defending champion. She remains in contention for the WTA Finals and currently leads the year-end rankings race.
