Elina Svitolina had to give a walkover to her opponent, Linda Nosková, in their fourth-round contest at the 2024 Australian Open. The Ukrainian player started the match with much gusto but experienced medical problems and had to take a break. She showed signs of recovery, but it was not meant to be as she had to retire and forfeit the match.

Svitolina had a fiery start to her Australian Open campaign. The 29-year-old star did not let her opponents win even a single set as she demolished them left and right. However, the 19th seed had to withdraw after a back injury minutes into her fourth-round match.

As she was 2-0 down in the first set, Svitolina experienced some discomfort in her lower back. She took a medical time-out as her physiotherapist rushed to her bench. She came back to the court expecting to continue the game. The former number 3 played and lost another game before her injury hampered her again and she was forced to quit. A devastated Svitolina was in tears as Nosková came up to her and hugged her. 

“I got a spasm, or I don’t know exactly what it is, but like shooting pain in the first game, the last two points. Couldn’t do anything, completely locked my back,” said Svitolina after her Australian Open campaign ended.

She also added, “I feel like I was doing everything right. I had a good off-season. I’ve been training really well. Yeah, it’s just things like this unexpectedly happen. It’s not like a buildup where I had a huge pain in my back and I expected this one. It really came out of nowhere.” Svitolina had made a comeback to the court last year after giving birth to her daughter, Skaï, and displayed incredible form.

She reached the quarter-finals of the French Open in her first grand slam tournament back. The 29-year-old then impressed at Wimbledon and made it to the semi-finals, her career-best performance. At the end of the season, Svitolina was crowned the WTA Comeback Player of the Year. She had to prematurely end her season due to a stress fracture in her ankle but made a strong comeback at the start of the new season.

She started the Australian Open with great confidence, sweeping through three rounds as she conceded just 13 games. But her back injury brought an abrupt end to her campaign Down Under. Svitolina will not go home alone as her husband, Gael Monfils, will also leave Australia empty-handed.

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Husband Wife duo to leave Australia

Monfils and Svitolina were excited to play in the first slam of the year. The two shared several posts about how they felt about being back for the championship. However, their stint would not last for long. Monfils found himself eliminated in the second round by Tomás Martín Etcheverry in straight sets.

Svitolina, who was looking set for an extended run in the tournament, couldn’t continue playing the tournament due to her injury. Although the two had a saddening farewell, they will hope to return to the court soon to resume their careers.

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