Injured Halep, Kerber pull out of upcoming women’s tourney at Indian Wells
Former world No. 1s Simona Halep and Angelique Kerber have pulled out of next week’s BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells after failing to recover from injuries.
The tournament is the season’s first Premier Mandatory event and Romanian Halep, the reigning Wimbledon champion, has not shaken off a foot problem.
«I’m incredibly disappointed to have to withdraw from the 2020 BNP Paribas Open,» Halep, the world No. 2, said in a statement.
«Unfortunately, the foot injury that I picked up before Dubai is still causing me trouble and I will be unable to recover in time to travel to Indian Wells.»
Halep, who won the Dubai title last month, was champion at Indian Wells in 2015.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Kerber has not recovered from a leg injury and the 32-year-old is also set to miss this month’s Miami Open.
Andreescu wins 1st WTA title at Indian Wells
«My patience is being tested these days as I’m still recovering from a left leg injury,» the German, last year’s runner-up at Indian Wells, wrote on Instagram.
«I was hoping to be ready in time for the upcoming tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami, but my medical team advised me to give it a little bit more rest.»
Last year, unseeded Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., upset Kerber 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the women’s final at Indian Wells for her first WTA title.
Andreescu is questionable for this year’s tourney because of a lingering left knee injury that forced her to miss her fourth event of 2020, the Qatar Total Open in Doha.
WATCH | Highlights from Bianca Andreescu’s historic win at Indian Wells:
The 19-year-old hasn’t played a competitive match since suffering the injury in late October at the WTA Finals in China.
Andreescu has been hampered by injuries while making her climb from outside the top 150 since the start of 2019.
A shoulder injury last March kept her out of all but one match from April through July.
Andreescu retired after one match at last year’s French Open and didn’t play at Wimbledon in 2019.
