New York: Karolina Pliskova’s early exit from the U.S. Open gave her more time than her rivals to prepare for the fast-tracked claycourt swing but instead of fine-tuning her game, the Czech finds herself in a race to be fighting fit for the French Open.
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The former world number one, who is still chasing a maiden Grand Slam title, was dumped out of the second round at Flushing Meadows before turning her attention to Rome – where she lifted the Italian Open title last year.
But a series of tough matches at the claycourt warmup took their toll on Pliskova’s body and she injured her left thigh in Monday’s title clash against Simona Halep before throwing in the towel.
Pliskova, whose raw power and precision make her a dangerous opponent on clay, knows she must recover quickly if she is to improve on her semi-final finish in Paris three years ago.
“I hope to be ready for Roland Garros,” the world number four told reporters. “I could possibly play on Sunday… I have to see a doctor and make sure it’s not too severe of an injury.– Agenices
