Jelena Ostapenko became the last Grand Slam single champion to retire from the US Open on Monday, citing a change in her schedule.
The 23-year-old stunned the sport in 2017 when she became the first non-seeded player to win the French Open since 1933, as well as Latvia’s first Grand Slam champion. It was ranked number 47 at the time. Ostapenko rose to number 5 by the following March, but the power baseliner struggled to find Top 10 quality consistency in the meantime. She is currently ranked at number 41 and has only won two minor titles along with her Grand Slam trophy.
Osatapenko is one of six active Grand Slam singles holders who will miss the US Open, including US Open winners Bianca Andreescu and Sam Stosur.
Earlier in the day, the US Open also lost Carla Suarez Navarro, a two-time US Open quarter-finals. Suarez, now 31 and ranked number 68, had previously retired from the Western and Southern Open, currently underway at the National Tennis Center, citing unspecified “health reasons”. The US Open will follow immediately, starting August 31st.
Ranked sixth, Suarez struggled with injuries towards the end of her career. Once known for her willingness to play aggressive and offensive tennis despite her relatively short stature, the 5-foot 4 native of the Canary Islands has also reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on three occasions.
Ostapenko’s spot on the main draw will be taken by Whitney Osuigwe’s 143, whose wild card will now go to 16-year-old Californian, Katrina Scott. Suarez will be replaced in the women’s direct entry field of the US Open by Japanese Kurumi Nara number 142.
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