First alternate Ons Jabeur of Tunisia has decided to skip the 2021 Akron WTA Finals Guadalajara, citing the need to recover and prepare for the next season.
The 27-year-old Jabeur missed out on the final, eighth spot in the WTA Finals singles draw when Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit edged her in the race at the last moment by winning the Transylvania Open, her fourth tournament in just over two months. Now that the prestigious event is just about to start and the players have already started practicing in Guadalajara, Mexico, Jabeur is announcing her withdrawal on social media:
I am sorry to announce that I won’t be able to go to Guadalajara as an alternate. I need more time to recover and prepare for next season.
I am super proud of achieving my goal and my best ranking in the world: 7! Thank you for your support and see you next year! #TeamOJ
Jabeur retired in the first round of the VTB Kremlin Cup due to an elbow injury and then pulled out of the Courmayeur Ladies Open for the same reason.
Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina are now alternates at the Akron WTA Finals Guadalajara.
