(Reuters) – Former world number one Simona Halep pulled out of her semi-final match at the Bad Homburg Open in Germany on Friday due to a neck issue, days before the start of Wimbledon.
The 30-year-old Romanian was due to play Canadian Bianca Andreescu, who will advance to the final of the WTA 250 event against a Frenchwoman – either Alize Cornet or Caroline Garcia.
“I am sorry that I had to withdraw today before my semi-final match,” Halep, currently ranked 19th, was quoted as saying by the organisers.
“But unfortunately I woke up this morning with a blocked neck and this is not allowing me to perform to the best of my ability.”
Halep won Wimbledon, which starts on Monday, in 2019 and has a tricky first round match against Czech Karolina Muchova.
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; editing by xx)
