Days after loss to Coco Gauff in Beijing, Karolina Muchova announces decision to miss Wuhan Open 2024

Karolina Muchova has announced her withdrawal from the 2024 Wuhan Open, scheduled for 7-13 October, to focus on her recovery following a demanding run at the China Open. Muchova, who reached the final in Beijing, cited the need for ample recovery time after her intense schedule.

Muchova’s decision to withdraw from the Wuhan Open comes on the heels of an impressive performance at the China Open, where she advanced to the final before falling to fourth seed Coco Gauff in a straight-sets defeat, 1-6, 3-6.

The unseeded Czech player showcased her resilience and skill throughout the tournament, defeating top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinal and overcoming fifth-seed and home favorite Zheng Qinwen in the semifinals.

Muchova took to her Instagram stories on 8 October, to share the news with her fans.

"Hi everyone. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to compete in Wuhan this year. After a tough schedule in Beijing, I need a bit more time to fully recover. Looking forward to seeing you all in Ningbo next week!"

Karolina Muchova on Instagram/@karolinamuchova

Despite her loss in the final, Muchova’s journey in Beijing was nothing short of remarkable. She cruised past Anna Blinkova, 6-1, 6-1, 30th seed Yue Yuan, 6-3, 6-1, Jaqueline Cristian, 6-1, 6-3, and Cristina Bucsa, 6-2, 6-0, before her notable victories over Sabalenka and Qinwen.

In addition to her singles campaign, Muchova also participated in the doubles event at the China Open with partner Paula Badosa. The Czech-Spanish duo started strong with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Irina Khromacheva and Anna Danilina but had to withdraw before their second-round match due to Muchova’s wrist issues. This withdrawal underscored the physical toll the tournament had taken on Muchova, prompting her decision to prioritize her health.

Karolina Muchova was initially scheduled to face Moyuka Uchijima in the first round of the Wuhan Open. With her withdrawal, Russian qualifier and lucky loser Kamilla Rakhimova will take her place in the draw. Muchova’s focus now shifts to the Ningbo Open, where she hopes to make a strong comeback from 14-20 October.

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Karolina Muchova reached two finals on the WTA tour following her injury comeback

Karolina Muchova at the 2024 China Open (Image source: Getty)

Karolina Muchova sustained a wrist injury during her 2023 US Open semifinal run. This led to a 10-month hiatus from the WTA tour, culminating in wrist surgery in February 2024.

Muchova made her highly anticipated comeback in June 2024 at the Rothesay International in Eastbourne. During her comeback in Eastbourne, Muchova won her first two matches convincingly, dropping just six games in total. However, she had to withdraw before her quarterfinal match against Madison Keys due to stiffness in her wrist.

Following Eastbourne, Muchova competed at the Wimbledon Championships, where her campaign ended early with a first-round exit against Badosa, who won 6-3, 6-2. Her next stop was the WTA 250 event in Palermo, where she made a deep run to the final, but lost 4-6, 6-4, 2-6 to top seed Zheng Qinwen.

The 28-year-old represented her country at the Paris Olympics, where she lost 1-6, 6-4, 2-6 in the first round to Team Canada's Leylah Fernandez. In August, Muchova participated in the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, where she reached the second round before losing 7-5, 4-6, 2-6 to Jessica Pegula.

Karolina Muchova’s return to the US Open was highly anticipated, as she managed to replicate her impressive semifinal run from the previous year, eventually losing 6-1, 4-6, 2-6 to eventual runner-up Jessica Pegula.