Peng Shuai to skip rest of the season

Peng Shuai recieves medical treatment in her first round match at Roland Garros

Paris, May 25 (IANS)

Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai became one of the casualties of French Open as the 24th seed managed just 33 minutes of play at Stade Roland Garros here.

"Here's the end of my competitive action of the season," Peng on Sunday.

The semifinalist of last year's US Open was forced to retire with a back injury when trailing 0-6, 0-2 to Polona Hercog in the women's singles first round, granting the Slovenian a swift passage into the last 64.

"It's the same injury that has hunted me down since last year's Fed Cup," Peng said.

Having failed to hold on any of her serves, the 29-year-old found it difficult to even pull down a single point in most of her games against Hercog, who had lost four matches in a row before coming here.

Peng asked for medical aid during the inter-set break and struggled for two more games in the second set before calling it off with tears in eyes. The back injury had costed her a series of competitions since her fourth-round exit in January's Australian Open.

"I've consulted with some experts and learnt that my situation was much severe than we expected. It's bad in Melbourne and worse in Dubai. But by the end of the Dubai event, I could not feel my left leg. Doctor suggested me to operate on it but that means I'd have to be sidelined for a couple of months, sitting off the remaining season away from the court," said Peng.

"Actually, I'm quite thankful for being pushed so hard today. It helped me make up my mind. I need to undergo surgery on my ailing back before it's too late."

Earlier this month, Peng made a return in Madrid but suffered a first-round defeat.

"I'm scared but it's better to undergo surgery and rest and rehabit, rather than suffering so much pain while risking my chance," added Peng.