Picture Credit: Twitter

Picture Credit: Twitter

Karen Khachanov, the World No.11 and one of the most consistent performers at the Grand Slam level, has withdrawn from Wimbledon 2023 due to a stress fracture in his back. The Russian will miss the Grand Slam for a second season in a row as the 2021 quarterfinalist missed out last year because of the ban on Russian players at sporting tournaments as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The ban was lifted for this year’s Championships with players from both countries allowed to compete under the neutral flag.


The Russian announced his decision on Instagram, saying he had picked up the injury during his impressive run at the French Open earlier this month. Khachanov reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, where he took a set-off world No.1 and eventual champion Novak Djokovic before losing in four sets.


The Russian said he was hoping to recover in time for Wimbledon, but his medical team advised him that it was not possible. "This is not an easy statement for me to write, but I have to inform you of my withdrawal from the upcoming Championships at Wimbledon," Khachanov wrote.



Khachanov added that he will now focus on his recovery and aim to return to tournaments in August. "As difficult as this is, I will now focus on my recovery, working diligently to get healthy and come back to tournaments in August," he said.


Khachanov has been one of the most successful players in the majors in recent years, reaching the semi-finals of the US Open 2022, the Australian Open 2023, and the French Open 2023. Khachanov's best result at Wimbledon came the last time he played it two years ago. In the quarterfinals that year, he lost in five sets to Canada’s Denis Shapovalov. The tournament is set to start on July 3.