Wimbledon: an injured left calf has rendered reigning Wimbledon champion Simona Halep unable to contest this year's Grand Slam tournament on Friday.
Halep is ranked No. 3 but would have been seeded second at the All England Club because second seed and injured Naomi Osaka had pulled out of Wimbledon earlier.
Halep tore her calf during a match at the Italian Open in May and sat out the French Open, which she won in 2018 for the first of her two major championships.
In 2019, the last time Wimbledon was played, Halep beat Serena Williams 6-2, 6-2 in the final. The 2020 Wimbledon championship was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic.
Halep's withdrawal came shortly before the start of the draw at the All England Club. Play in the grass-court major tournament begins Monday.
(Based on PTI feed)