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| Two-time Wimbledon champioin Petra Kvitova is suffering from an injury to her forearm |
Sixth seed Petra Kvitova has withdrawn from the French Open because of a left arm injury.
The Australian Open finalist had been due to face Romania’s Sorana Cirstea on Monday and has been replaced in the draw by Slovenian lucky loser Kaja Juvan.
Writing on Twitter, Kvitova said: “I’m so disappointed to have to announce my withdrawal from Roland Garros. I’ve had pain in my left forearm for a few weeks and last night an MRI confirmed a grade two tear, which unfortunately could get a lot worse if I play today.
“Two years ago I made my comeback here at Roland Garros, so I’m truly sad not to be able to play here this year. It is a really tough decision to make, but I wish the tournament all the best for a successful event and can’t wait to be back in 2020.”
Kvitova is hopeful of being fit for Wimbledon, which begins on July 1, but she could be a doubt for the Nature Valley Classic in Birmingham, where she has won the title for the last two years.
The Czech said: “They said for now two to three weeks off, which means no tennis, of course, because it’s my left forearm.
“So I’m going to do some fitness and everything what I can do and to prepare my body for the tennis on the grass.
“Of course I’m staying positive for the grass season.”
LOn the court, Johanna Konta finally ended her French Open hoodoo by beating Antonia Lottner to reach the second round for the first time in five attempts.
Konta has had a breakthrough clay-court season this year, winning more tour-level matches than in the rest of her career combined, capped by an unexpected run to the final of the Italian Open in Rome last weekend.
That was enough lift her back among the 32 seeds in Paris and she took advantage of a kind draw by seeing off German qualifier Lottner 6-4 6-4 in an hour and 19 minutes.
The British number one will take on American Lauren Davis in round two.
Caroline Wozniacki was eliminated in the first round by Russian Viktoria Kudermetova despite winning the first set to love.
The 13th seed had heavy strapping on her left calf and fell to a 0-6 6-3 6-3 defeat, her first loss in the opening round of a grand slam since Wimbledon 2016.
Wozniacki, who revealed at the end of last season she had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, had failed to complete her last two matches prior to arriving in Paris.
