Muguruza pulls out of Sydney quarters with thigh injury

Spanish tennis player Garbiñe Muguruza on Wednesday pulled out of the Sydney International quarter-finals due to a right thigh injury.

The injury forced top-seeded Muguruza to end her run at the tournament after earning a hard fought win against the Netherlands' Kiki Bertens 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) in her second match of 2018, reports Efe.

"I have felt pain in my right adductor since I started practising here. Yesterday I felt better and wanted to play. However, during the match today the pain has been there all the time," Muguruza said in a statement.

Former World No.1 Muguruza, who needed medical time out after the third game, said she had to adjust her playing style to make the points shorter.

Injuries have marred Muguruza's start of the 2018 season as she had to abandon or disqualify herself during the match against Russia's Aleksandra Krunic at the Brisbane International.

With five days remaining before the 2018 Australian Open, the two-time Grand Slam champion Muguruza decided to withdraw from Sydney.

Muguruza is hoping to build on her performance in the 2017 Australian Open, when she reached the quarterfinals, her best result in Melbourne.

--IANS

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