Estonian Anett Kontaveit, who reached a career-high of number two in the world last year, said she is retiring at the age of 27 due to a degenerative back injury and will play her final tournament at Wimbledon next month. Kontaveit cut her 2022 season short in October and took another two-month break in February to focus on the issue.

"After several doctor's visits and consultations with my medical team, I have been advised that I have lumbar disc degeneration in my back," she wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. "This does not allow for full-scale training or continued competition. Therefore, it is impossible to continue at the top level in such a highly competitive field. "I am ready for new challenges after my last effort as a professional tennis player - to enjoy the game and compete as hard as I can at Wimbledon."

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Kontaveit, now ranked 79th in the world, exited the Australian Open in the second round and has not played since a first-round defeat at the French Open in May. A quarter-final run at Melbourne Park in 2020 is her best Grand Slam result to date. Kontaveit won four titles and reached the WTA Finals in a breakthrough 2021 season and was ranked world number two last September at the U.S. Open, where she lost to Serena Williams in the second round.

Estonian Anett Kontaveit, who reached a career-high of number two in the world last year, said she is retiring at the age of 27 due to a degenerative back injury and will play her final tournament at Wimbledon next month.

Estonian Anett Kontaveit, who reached a career-high of number two in the world last year, said she is retiring at the age of 27 due to a degenerative back injury and will play her final tournament at Wimbledon next month. Kontaveit cut her 2022 season short in October and took another two-month break in February to focus on the issue. "After several doctor's visits and consultations with my medical team, I have been advised that I have lumbar disc degeneration in my back," she wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. "This does not allow for full-scale training or continued competition. Therefore, it is impossible to continue at the top level in such a highly competitive field. "I am ready for new challenges after my last effort as a professional tennis player - to enjoy the game and compete as hard as I can at Wimbledon." Also Read: NBA: Heat shift focus on Damian Lillard after failing to get Bradley Beal Kontaveit, now ranked 79th in the world, exited the Australian Open in the second round and has not played since a first-round defeat at the French Open in May. A quarter-final run at Melbourne Park in 2020 is her best Grand Slam result to date. Kontaveit won four titles and reached the WTA Finals in a breakthrough 2021 season and was ranked world number two last September at the U.S. Open, where she lost to Serena Williams in the second round.

Tennis: Anett Kontaveit to call it quits after Wimbledon 2023 due to back injury

Carlos Alcaraz makes his Queen's Club Championships debut this week and the Spaniard knows he has a lot of adjustments to make to his game if he is to be a contender at the grasscourt event and at Wimbledon next month.

Alcaraz is coming off a disappointing French Open where the 20-year-old, who had warmed up for the claycourt Grand Slam with titles in Barcelona and Madrid, suffered severe cramp during a 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1 semi-final defeat by Novak Djokovic.

Alcaraz will be playing in only the third grasscourt tournament of his career at tour level this week and he said his practice on the surface had been limited.

"I arrived in London Saturday morning and I had my first practice on grass," he said. "I wasn't able to practice too much at home as we have no grass courts. "I need to adapt my movement and shots on the grass, but I'm really happy with the practice I have had here."

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Alcaraz, who reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last year before winning the U.S. Open on the hard courts of New York, said how well he moves on grass would be key.

"You need to be more careful than other surfaces," Alcaraz, who plays Arthur Fils on Tuesday, said. "The most comfortable is going to the net and playing aggressively all the time. For me it's similar to other surfaces with my style.

"There are a lot of players who slice on grass. I'm not one of them so I have to think about movement. I have to be focused on every movement and shot. "For me it's more tiring when you're moving on grass. It's totally different, so you have to be really specific."

Carlos Alcaraz makes his Queen's Club Championships debut this week and the Spaniard knows he has a lot of adjustments to make to his game if he is to be a contender at the grasscourt event and at Wimbledon next month.

Carlos Alcaraz makes his Queen's Club Championships debut this week and the Spaniard knows he has a lot of adjustments to make to his game if he is to be a contender at the grasscourt event and at Wimbledon next month. Alcaraz is coming off a disappointing French Open where the 20-year-old, who had warmed up for the claycourt Grand Slam with titles in Barcelona and Madrid, suffered severe cramp during a 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1 semi-final defeat by Novak Djokovic. Alcaraz will be playing in only the third grasscourt tournament of his career at tour level this week and he said his practice on the surface had been limited. "I arrived in London Saturday morning and I had my first practice on grass," he said. "I wasn't able to practice too much at home as we have no grass courts. "I need to adapt my movement and shots on the grass, but I'm really happy with the practice I have had here." Also Read: Golf: Rory McIlroy ready go through '100 Sundays like this' for another major title Alcaraz, who reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last year before winning the U.S. Open on the hard courts of New York, said how well he moves on grass would be key. "You need to be more careful than other surfaces," Alcaraz, who plays Arthur Fils on Tuesday, said. "The most comfortable is going to the net and playing aggressively all the time. For me it's similar to other surfaces with my style. "There are a lot of players who slice on grass. I'm not one of them so I have to think about movement. I have to be focused on every movement and shot. "For me it's more tiring when you're moving on grass. It's totally different, so you have to be really specific."

Tennis: Wimbledon 2023 - Carlos Alcaraz hopes to quickly adapt to grass after Paris disappointment

Three-time Grand Slam champion Britain's Andy Murray is the latest of the big four to pull out of the French Open 2023 to focus on Wimbledon. Earlier, 14-time winner at Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal, also withdrew his name from his favourite event as he failed to completely recover from the hip injury he sustained during the Australian Open early this year.

With Roger Federer also hanging his boots from professional tennis in 2022, Serbian Novak Djokovic is the only one left out of the fab-four to participate in this year's French Open.

Having participated in clay-court Slam only once since 2017, Murray won the Challenger event in Aix-en-Provence in May this year, beating Tommy Paul in the finals.

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The 2016 French Open finalist got knocked out in a few other ATP tour events, including Rome, Madrid, and Monte Carlo. His most recent loss came against his rival Stan Wawrinka in Bordeaux.

The 36-year-old, speaking with the Guardian earlier, had informed about his chances of not being available for the French Open this year. He said,

"It's just what the right thing is to prioritise at this stage in my career. I trust my body now, but I'm aware that my best chance of having a deep run is more likely to happen at Wimbledon," Murray told Guardian.

Meanwhile, Murray, 36, plans to compete in the Cinch Championships at Queen's Club, scheduled from June 19th to 25th. By choosing to sit out of the French Open, the Scottish tennis star will also have a chance to participate in the Surbiton grass-court Challenger event that coincides with the second week of the French Open (from June 4-11), which begins on May 22nd.

After undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in 2019, Murray's rankings dropped to 502nd, and upon his return, he climbed to the 42nd spot. His prime focus, for now, would remain to play well at Wimbledon and potentially secure a seeding.&nbsp;

<h2>Nadal set to miss the French Open 2023</h2>

As Nadal is recovering from the abdominal strain, he decided to step aside from participating in this year's second Slam.&nbsp;

Not only this, but the 22-time Grand Slam winner also revealed that 2024 would be his last year as a professional tennis player, putting curtains down on a brilliant two-decade career.

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Three-time Grand Slam champion Britain's Andy Murray is the latest of the big four to pull out of the French Open 2023 to focus on Wimbledon. Earlier, 14-time winner at Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal, also withdrew his name from his favourite event as he failed to completely recover from the hip injury he sustained during the Australian Open early this year.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Britain's Andy Murray is the latest of the big four to pull out of the French Open 2023 to focus on Wimbledon. Earlier, 14-time winner at Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal, also withdrew his name from his favourite event as he failed to completely recover from the hip injury he sustained during the Australian Open early this year. With Roger Federer also hanging his boots from professional tennis in 2022, Serbian Novak Djokovic is the only one left out of the fab-four to participate in this year's French Open. Having participated in clay-court Slam only once since 2017, Murray won the Challenger event in Aix-en-Provence in May this year, beating Tommy Paul in the finals. ALSO READ: Rafael Nadal withdraws from French Open, expects '2024 to be his last year in tennis' The 2016 French Open finalist got knocked out in a few other ATP tour events, including Rome, Madrid, and Monte Carlo. His most recent loss came against his rival Stan Wawrinka in Bordeaux. The 36-year-old, speaking with the Guardian earlier, had informed about his chances of not being available for the French Open this year. He said, "It's just what the right thing is to prioritise at this stage in my career. I trust my body now, but I'm aware that my best chance of having a deep run is more likely to happen at Wimbledon," Murray told Guardian. Meanwhile, Murray, 36, plans to compete in the Cinch Championships at Queen's Club, scheduled from June 19th to 25th. By choosing to sit out of the French Open, the Scottish tennis star will also have a chance to participate in the Surbiton grass-court Challenger event that coincides with the second week of the French Open (from June 4-11), which begins on May 22nd. After undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in 2019, Murray's rankings dropped to 502nd, and upon his return, he climbed to the 42nd spot. His prime focus, for now, would remain to play well at Wimbledon and potentially secure a seeding. Nadal set to miss the French Open 2023 As Nadal is recovering from the abdominal strain, he decided to step aside from participating in this year's second Slam. Not only this, but the 22-time Grand Slam winner also revealed that 2024 would be his last year as a professional tennis player, putting curtains down on a brilliant two-decade career. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Tennis - Britain's Andy Murray pulls out of French Open to concentrate on Wimbledon 2023

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Tennis: Anett Kontaveit to call it quits after Wimbledon 2023 due to back injury

Tennis: Wimbledon 2023 - Carlos Alcaraz hopes to quickly adapt to grass after Paris disappointment

Tennis - Britain's Andy Murray pulls out of French Open to concentrate on Wimbledon 2023